Night work in Poland: 21:00-7:00, 20% supplement, who is protected
Short answer: Night time is 8 hours between 21:00 and 7:00. Each night hour earns a supplement of 20% of the hourly minimum-wage rate, on top of any overtime pay. Pregnant staff and minors may not work nights.
Night work in Poland comes with a fixed legal definition, a pay supplement and some protections for specific groups of employees. This guide uses the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy page "Night work" on gov.pl and the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) pages on working time and on the clock change (dated 26 March 2025). The ministry page is undated, so treat it as a description of the general rule and check your contract and workplace rules.
What counts as night time
According to the ministry, night work covers an 8-hour period between 21:00 and 7:00. The employer sets the specific framework of night time in the workplace, within that range. In other words, your employer decides whether night time at your company runs, for example, from 22:00 to 6:00, but it must be 8 hours and fall between 21:00 and 7:00.
Who is a "night worker"
The ministry and PIP give the same two tests. You are a night worker if your working time schedule includes:
- at least 3 hours of night work every day, or
- at least one quarter of your working time in the settlement period falling at night.
Why it matters: the working time of a night worker may not exceed 8 hours a day if the job is particularly hazardous or involves heavy physical or mental strain. The employer prepares the list of such jobs after consulting the workplace trade union, or employee representatives where there is no union, and after consulting the doctor who provides preventive health care for employees.
The night work supplement
For every hour worked at night you are entitled to a supplement. The ministry page states it is 20% of the hourly rate resulting from the minimum remuneration. PIP gives the same figure and cites articles 151(7) and 151(8) of the Labour Code.
Three points from the sources:
- The supplement is based on the minimum wage rate, not on your own hourly rate. Your contract or the company pay rules can offer more, but not less.
- It is independent of the overtime supplement. If an overtime hour falls at night, the two are separate.
- It is available to all staff, including managers.
A rough illustration: our guide to the 2026 minimum wage gives 31.40 zł gross per hour as of 1 January 2026. Twenty percent of 31.40 zł is 6.28 zł gross for each hour worked at night. This is our own calculation, not a figure published on the ministry page, so check the rate used by your employer.
Supplement only for hours actually worked
PIP made one practical point in its note on the change of time in March 2025. The night supplement is due only for hours actually worked. On the night when the clocks move forward, a night-shift employee works one hour less and therefore receives a lower supplement. PIP explains that the monthly salary stays the same, and an hourly-paid employee also gets the hourly rate for the unworked hour. Only the supplement shrinks, because it is tied to hours worked.
Who cannot be sent to work at night
The ministry lists these groups:
- pregnant employees, who may not be employed at night,
- minors, who may not be employed at night,
- an employee caring for a child up to 8 years old, who may not be employed at night without their consent.
What the sources do not say
The pages do not discuss foreigners separately, which suggests the rules apply to employees under a Polish employment contract in the same way. The sources do not say it directly, so confirm with your employer or PIP. The Labour Code supplement applies to employees. The sources do not cover civil law contracts such as zlecenie, so if you work on one of those, ask before assuming the supplement applies.
What to do if the supplement is missing
Check your payslip for a separate line for night work. If it is not there, ask HR or payroll first. PIP gives free advice to employees and can inspect employers. See our guide to the labour inspectorate for how to contact it.
* Photos: illustrative images from Wikimedia Commons (CC0 and public domain): a factory at night and a historical painting of a night factory, not Poland.
Frequently asked questions
What hours count as night time in Poland?
An 8-hour period between 21:00 and 7:00. The employer chooses the exact 8 hours within that range, according to the ministry.
How much is the night work supplement?
20% of the hourly rate resulting from the minimum remuneration, for each hour worked at night. Employers may offer more under a contract or pay rules.
Is the night supplement paid on top of overtime pay?
Yes. The ministry says the night work allowance is independent of the overtime allowance.
Can an employer require night work from a parent of a young child?
An employee caring for a child up to 8 years old may not be employed at night without their consent, according to the ministry.
