Mobbing and discrimination at work in Poland: new rules from Nov 2026
Short answer: The act published 4 August 2026 takes effect on 5 November 2026. Mobbing is redefined as persistent harassment, minimum compensation is six times the minimum wage, and employers must adopt procedures.
Poland has changed its Labour Code rules on workplace bullying (mobbing) and discrimination. The amending act was published on 4 August 2026 and takes effect three months later, on 5 November 2026, according to the State Labour Inspectorate (PIP). Employers must adopt anti-mobbing procedures, the definition of mobbing is simpler, and the minimum compensation goes up. This guide summarises the changes as described by PIP and the Journal of Laws, as of 15 October 2026.
What the law is
It is the act of 19 June 2026 amending the Labour Code and the Code of Civil Procedure, published in the Journal of Laws on 4 August 2026 (Dz.U. 2026 item 1046). The text says it enters into force three months after publication, which PIP gives as 5 November 2026. Proceedings that were started and not finished before that date stay under the old rules.
A simpler definition of mobbing
The old Labour Code definition required persistent and long-lasting harassment that caused a low assessment of professional usefulness or other effects. PIP says the new definition drops that requirement. Under the new rules:
- mobbing means persistent harassment of an employee, and one-off incidents are excluded
- the behaviour is recurring, repeated or constant, and can come from an employer, a supervisor, a colleague, a subordinate, or a person who works under another type of contract
- it does not depend on the intention of the person or on a particular result
- it can be physical, verbal or non-verbal
- ordering or encouraging mobbing counts as mobbing too
The act gives examples of behaviour that may be mobbing, including humiliation, intimidation, unjustified criticism, ridiculing the employee, obstructing the performance of duties, and isolating the employee or excluding them from the team. It also protects against false accusations: justified criticism and assessment of work, expressed in a proper form, is not mobbing.
Higher compensation
PIP says the minimum compensation for mobbing rises to six times the minimum monthly wage. With the 2026 minimum wage of 4,806 zł gross, that is 28,836 zł, though the multiplier is applied to the minimum wage in force at the time of the award.
For discrimination, the act sets different minimums. Where the discrimination was incidental, the compensation is not lower than one minimum monthly wage. Where it is repeated (multiple discrimination), it is not lower than three times the minimum wage. Multiple discrimination means the same violation repeated for one or several reasons, or a single violation for several reasons at once.
Discrimination by association and by assumption
The definition of discrimination now includes two new forms, according to PIP:
- By association: unequal treatment because of a characteristic of someone the employee is connected with, for example a family member. PIP's example is treating a person worse because they are raising a child with a disability.
- By assumption: unequal treatment because of a characteristic wrongly attributed to the employee, for example creating a hostile atmosphere around people believed to have a certain sexual orientation or political sympathy.
What employers must do
Employers must systematically counter mobbing and unequal treatment through prevention, detection, proper response, remedial action and support for the people affected. Employers with at least 10 employees must set the rules, procedures and frequency of these actions in their work regulations, unless they are covered by a collective agreement or existing regulations. They have six months from the entry into force to adapt the regulations.
The new provisions also apply to behaviour that began before 5 November 2026 and continued after it, whether repeated discrimination or persistent harassment.
What you can do if it happens to you
- Write down dates, places, witnesses and messages. Because the law looks at repetition, a record helps.
- Check your employer's work regulations for an internal complaint procedure. After the six-month adaptation period, larger employers must have one.
- Contact PIP, the State Labour Inspectorate. We cover how to file a complaint and the free advice it offers in a separate guide.
- A claim for compensation is made to the labour court. A lawyer or a trade union can advise you.
This is general information and not legal advice. The details of how courts will apply the new rules are not known yet.
* Photos: CC0 images (Unsplash, via Wikimedia Commons).
Frequently asked questions
When do the new mobbing rules start in Poland?
On 5 November 2026, three months after the act was published on 4 August 2026, according to PIP and the Journal of Laws.
How much compensation can a mobbing victim get?
The new minimum is six times the minimum monthly wage, according to PIP. At the 2026 minimum wage of 4,806 zł gross that is 28,836 zł.
Does the law cover foreigners and contractors?
PIP's summary does not limit the rules by nationality. It says the harassment can come from people working on a basis other than an employment contract. Ask PIP or a lawyer how the rules apply to your contract type.
