Overtime and Break Laws in Poland (2026)
Labour Code (Kodeks pracy), Act of 26 June 1974, consolidated text Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1245 · Reviewed 2026-10 · Private-sector employees
Overtime
Overtime past the 8-hour daily norm gets a 50% supplement, or 100% at night, on Sundays and holidays that are days off, or on a day off given for Sunday or holiday work. Hours that push the average week past 40 in the settlement period get 100%, unless they were already paid as daily overtime.
Breaks and lunch
A paid 15-minute break when the daily working time is at least 6 hours, a second paid 15 minutes when it is over 9 hours, and a third when it is over 16 hours.
Overtime in Poland
- 1.5x pay for hours past 8 in a day.
- 2x pay for hours past 40 in a week.
- The weekly row is an average: the norm is 40 hours a week on average over a settlement period of up to 4 months (extendable to 12), so it is settled at the end of the period, not week by week.
- Overtime for an employer's special needs is capped at 150 hours per calendar year, unless a collective agreement, work rules or the contract sets another number.
- Instead of the supplement, the employer can give time off: equal time at the employee's written request, or 1.5 hours per overtime hour without a request, by the end of the settlement period.
- Total weekly hours including overtime may not exceed 48 on average in the settlement period.
- Managers who run the workplace on the employer's behalf get no overtime pay; heads of separate units get it only for Sunday and holiday overtime without a day off in return.
- Part-time staff: the contract must set how many extra hours trigger the overtime supplement.
Averaging over a pay period: Allowed: settlement period of up to 4 months, extendable to 12 months.
What two weeks of work come to
Worked out by the rule above (1.5x after 8h in a day, 2x after 40h in a week). Hours.
| Two weeks of | Regular | Overtime (1.5x) | At 2x |
|---|---|---|---|
| 5 days of 8 hours, two weeks (80h) | 80 | 0 | 0 |
| 5 days of 10 hours, two weeks (100h) | 64 | 16 | 20 |
| 6 days of 9 hours, two weeks (108h) | 72 | 8 | 28 |
| 50 hours, then 30 hours (80h) | 62 | 8 | 10 |
Breaks and lunch in Poland
- Rest break: 1 × 15 minutes, paid, for shifts of 6 hours or more.
- Rest break: 2 × 15 minutes, paid, for shifts of 9 hours or more.
- Rest break: 3 × 15 minutes, paid, for shifts of 16 hours or more.
| Shift | Rest breaks | Meal break |
|---|---|---|
| 4 hours | None | None |
| 6 hours | 1 × 15 min, paid | None |
| 8 hours | 1 × 15 min, paid | None |
| 10 hours | 2 × 15 min, paid | None |
| 12 hours | 2 × 15 min, paid | None |
- The second and third breaks apply to days longer than (not equal to) 9 and 16 hours.
- All three breaks count as working time.
- The employer may also add one unpaid break of up to 60 minutes for a meal or personal matters, if set in the collective agreement, work rules or contract.
- Daily rest of at least 11 consecutive hours in every 24 hours, and weekly rest of at least 35 consecutive hours (minimum 24 in some cases).
Pay by Poland rules in Kloqk
Kloqk is a free time clock. In Settings, open Payroll, press Rules by country and pick Poland: the overtime and break rules above fill in, and every timesheet, report and payroll export follows them. Change any number to match your own contract.
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Frequently asked questions
What is the overtime rule in Poland?
Overtime past the 8-hour daily norm gets a 50% supplement, or 100% at night, on Sundays and holidays that are days off, or on a day off given for Sunday or holiday work. Hours that push the average week past 40 in the settlement period get 100%, unless they were already paid as daily overtime.
Can overtime be averaged over two weeks or a pay period in Poland?
Allowed: settlement period of up to 4 months, extendable to 12 months.
What breaks are required in Poland?
A paid 15-minute break when the daily working time is at least 6 hours, a second paid 15 minutes when it is over 9 hours, and a third when it is over 16 hours.