Notice Period in Poland: How Long and How It Is Counted
Short answer: Notice on a Polish employment contract is 2 weeks (under 6 months), 1 month (6 months+) or 3 months (3 years+), counted by service with the same employer.
Quitting a job in Poland, or being let go, runs on fixed rules. The length of the notice period (okres wypowiedzenia) depends on how long you have worked for the employer, not on your job title or on what your contract says. This guide uses the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy page on the end of employment and the Polish Labour Inspectorate (PIP, Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy) guidance, both on gov.pl and pip.gov.pl, read in October 2026. The rules come from the Labour Code (Kodeks pracy). They cover an employment contract (umowa o pracę), not a B2B or civil-law contract.
How an employment contract can end
According to the ministry, an employment relationship ends in one of two ways: by a declaration of will of the employee or the employer, or by expiry caused by certain legal events. The main routes are:
- Agreement of the parties (porozumienie stron): any employment contract can be ended this way, at any agreed date. The employer's limits on giving notice, such as protection periods, do not apply.
- Notice (wypowiedzenie): a statement by one side that ends the contract after the notice period.
- Termination without notice: a separate route, with its own conditions, that is not covered in this guide.
How long is the notice period
For permanent and fixed-term contracts, the Labour Code (article 36) sets the notice according to the length of employment with that employer:
- Under 6 months: 2 weeks
- At least 6 months: 1 month
- At least 3 years: 3 months
For a probation contract (umowa na okres próbny), the notice is:
- 3 working days if the probation does not exceed 2 weeks,
- 1 week if it is longer than 2 weeks,
- 2 weeks if the probation lasts 3 months.
What counts toward your length of service
The ministry says that the period includes employment under all contracts with the same employer, regardless of how many contracts there were and whether there were breaks. Employment with a previous employer counts if your workplace was taken over by a new employer. PIP gives an example: someone employed since 1 January 2022 who gives notice in November 2024 has the 3-month period, because they have worked 3 years for the employer.
How the end date is counted
- A notice period in months ends on the last day of a month. The ministry's example: notice given on 22 July ends on 31 August for a one-month period, and on 31 October for a three-month period.
- A notice period in weeks ends on a Saturday and must cover a full week or two weeks. PIP's example: notice handed over on Tuesday 7 March 2023, with a two-week period, ended on Saturday 24 March 2023.
Form and reasons
The ministry says the notice from the employee or the employer should be in writing. A statement is effective when it reaches the other side in a way that lets them read it, for example handed over personally or received by post.
When the employer gives notice on a permanent or fixed-term contract, the letter must contain the reason for the notice and information about the employee's right to appeal to the labour court. The reason must be concrete, real and significant, and cannot be too general. PIP and the ministry give examples: a few minutes' lateness is generally not a significant reason, while a loss of trust caused by violating tax or accounting rules can be. A minor one-off lapse usually does not justify notice.
Union consultation
If the employee belongs to a trade union, or the union has protected them at their request, the employer must inform the union in advance, in paper or electronic form, of the intention to end the contract and the reason. The union can submit reasoned objections within 5 days. They do not bind the employer.
Can the notice be shortened?
The ministry says notice periods can be shortened. The employer may shorten the notice unilaterally only when the reason is bankruptcy, liquidation or another reason not related to the employee. A three-month notice can then be cut to 1 month at most, and the employee is entitled to compensation for the rest of the period. After notice is given, the parties can also agree to a shorter period. In that case, the employer does not have to pay compensation, and it remains a notice by the employer.
Fixed-term contracts: the 33-month, three-contract rule
PIP says that fixed-term employment with the same employer cannot exceed 33 months in total and cannot be more than three contracts. A probation contract does not count toward the limit. After the limit is reached, or from the day the fourth fixed-term contract starts, the employee is treated as being on a permanent contract. Some exceptions exist, which PIP lists. Probation contracts are generally up to 3 months, and PIP says they should not exceed 1 month for a fixed-term contract shorter than 6 months, or 2 months for one of at least 6 but under 12 months.
For expats
- If you work on B2B, none of this applies. Your notice is whatever your contract says. See our guide to ZUS for business owners.
- Count the whole time with the same employer. Fixed-term contracts and breaks all add up.
- If your residence permit is tied to your job, see our residence guide on a pending case and work before you resign.
- For leave you still hold, see paid annual leave.
Frequently asked questions
How much notice must I give in Poland?
It depends on service with the employer: 2 weeks under 6 months, 1 month from 6 months, 3 months from 3 years, according to the Labour Code and the ministry.
Does the notice period have to be in writing?
The ministry says the statement should be in writing. An employer's notice must also state the reason and the right to appeal to the labour court.
Can I leave faster than the notice period?
Only by agreement with the employer. An agreement of the parties can end the contract at any agreed date.
How many fixed-term contracts can I have?
No more than three with the same employer and no more than 33 months in total, not counting probation, according to PIP.
