Poland: International assignments – new labour law and standpoint of tax authorities

International Tax Review is part of Legal Benchmarking Limited, 4 Bouverie Street, London, EC4Y 8AX

Copyright © Legal Benchmarking Limited and its affiliated companies 2025

Accessibility | Terms of Use | Privacy Policy | Modern Slavery Statement

Poland: International assignments – new labour law and standpoint of tax authorities

intl-updates

The Act on the posting of workers in the territory of Poland entered into force on June 18 2016.

misiak.jpg

Anna Misiak

The provisions implement EU Directive 2014/67/EU of May 15 2014, which enforces Directive 96/71/EC on the secondment of employees to provide services. The Act regulates, among other things, the obligation for foreign employers to provide detailed information about employees delegated to work in Poland to the National Labour Inspectorate as well as to ensure the proper conditions of employment of posted workers.

The scope of the foreign employer's obligations includes, inter alia:

  • Submitting a detailed statement on the posting of workers to the National Labour Inspectorate;

  • Appointing a person staying in Poland as an intermediary between the employer and the Inspectorate;

  • Keeping the chosen employee documents in Poland; and

  • Making available the required documents, together with their translation into Polish, to the inspectorate within 5 days of a demand.

In the case of the secondments running on June 18 2016, the foreign employer is obliged to comply with the obligations by September 18 2016. Failure to fulfil the obligations will subject the employer to a fine of between PLN 1 ($0.26) and PLN 30.

The foreign employer must ensure that the employee's working conditions in Poland are not less favourable than those applicable under the Polish Labour Law. In particular, it refers to working hours, the length of annual leave, minimum pay for work, allowance for overtime work, health and safety at work, equal treatment and non-discrimination.

The Act refers also to joint and several liability in respect to overdue salary on the foreign employer and contractor (e.g. Polish party), who entrusts construction works, as well as to the rules of the execution of penalty payments imposed abroad.

It is worth mentioning that in recent months, the administrative courts have adopted a new approach regarding the taxation of accommodation and another benefits provided to posted employees. The courts have confirmed that such benefits may not constitute taxable income for employees if some conditions are met.

Anna Misiak (anna.misiak@mddp.pl)

MDDP

Tel: +48 22 322 68 88

Website: www.mddp.pl

more across site & shared bottom lb ros

More from across our site

Levine, who served under the Joe Biden administration, led the US’s negotiations on the OECD’s two-pillar solution
The deal to acquire ITR's parent company is expected to complete by the end of May 2025
JBS, the biggest meat company in the world, allegedly used Luxembourgian ‘mailbox companies’ to avoid taxes between 2019 and 2022
Despite the conviction of Jessa Dabalos, the Tax Practitioners’ Board’s investigative work continues with five outstanding PwC scandal probes
Heads of tax need to push their teams forward as strategic business advisers to add value across their organisations, says Sandy Markwick
Scott Bessent reportedly felt undermined by Musk naming Gary Shapley as acting IRS commissioner; in other news, Baker Tilly will combine with a top 15 US firm
The promise of nine years’ tax certainty and a ‘rational and pragmatic’ government process makes APAs a no-brainer, Indian tax advisers tell ITR
Despite garnering significant revenues from multinationals, Italy’s digital services tax presents pressing double taxation issues, say Stefano Simontacchi and Francesco Saverio Scandone of BonelliErede
ITR’s research shows that in-house tax counsel in Asia also feel underserved by their advisers’ international networks
World Tax global head of research Jon Moore tells ITR how his team spots standout submissions, and gives early statistical insights into this year’s entries
Gift this article