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Reduced working time in Poland – 2025 Pilot Program: Key rules for employers and funding opportunities | News Flash

August 13, 2025
Accace - Reduced working time in Poland

Between 14 August and 15 September 2025, applications will be open for a nationwide pilot program on reduced working time in Poland, coordinated by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. Employers will be eligible for funding of up to PLN 1 million to implement new work models that reduce working time without lowering employee salaries or employment levels. The initiative aims to test practical applications of reduced working time in Polish companies across various sectors.

What is the 2025 reduced working time pilot?

This pilot program on reduced working time in Poland offers employers the opportunity to:

  • test a shorter working week (fewer days),
  • reduce daily working hours,
  • introduce additional monthly days off,
  • grant extra paid leave,
  • implement other flexible work models tailored to the organisation.

The impact of these models will be assessed in areas such as:

  • employment retention,
  • employee productivity,
  • health and well-being,
  • operational efficiency,
  • work-life balance.

Who can join the program?

Eligibility criteria include:

  • Involving at least 50% of employees across different job functions.
  • Maintaining no less than 90% of the initial headcount during the pilot.
  • Keeping employee wages unchanged.
  • Not deteriorating employment conditions for participating staff.

Pilot timeline and implementation

The 2025 pilot on reduced working time in Poland will consist of:

  1. Preparation – model design and initial assessments.
  2. Testing phase (12 months):
    • 1st half: minimum 10% reduction in working time
    • 2nd half: minimum 20% reduction
  3. Summary – reporting and recommendations.

Who is eligible?

Applications are open to:

  • public employment services (voivodeship and poviat offices),
  • local government units,
  • entities cooperating (or declaring cooperation) with labour offices.

Applicants must demonstrate at least 12 months of operational history and submit a complete application on time.

Funding details

The government has allocated PLN 10 million from the Labour Fund to support the 2025 pilot on reduced working time in Poland. Each eligible employer — public, private, or non-profit — may apply for up to PLN 1 million in funding.

Private sector conditions

Private companies are not subject to specific size or industry restrictions. However, these factors may influence the evaluation of applications. The only formal requirement is proof of current or declared collaboration with public employment services (e.g., job offers on ePraca, use of labour market tools, or participation in EU-funded projects).

In cases involving public or de minimis aid, applicants must comply with relevant EU/state aid regulations and not exceed the EUR 300,000 threshold over a rolling three-year period.

Application grouping and scoring

Qualified applications will be sorted into 12 evaluation categories based on:

  • PKD industry group (3 groups), and
  • Company size (4 brackets).

The number of available slots in each basket is presented in the table below:

PKD GroupUp to 9 employees10–49 employees50–249 employees250+ employees
Group I (A–E) – e.g. agriculture, manufacturing, energy, waste management7543
Group II (F–M) – e.g. construction, trade, transport, IT, finance, real estate10864
Group III (N–V) – e.g. professional services, education, health care, public admin, culture, NGOs8753

Projects with the highest scores within each group will be recommended for funding. Remaining funds may be allocated to top-scoring projects from other groups if capacity is not filled.

Key dates

  • Application window: 14 August – 15 September 2025
  • Results announcement: by 15 October 2025
  • Project launch: from the date of contract signing

Where has reduced working time already been adopted in Poland?

Even before the national pilot launch, several Polish cities have implemented reduced working time models:

  • Leszno introduced a four-day week at the city office in July 2024.
  • Włocławek operates on a 35-hour workweek since September 2024.
  • Świebodzice launched a 6-month pilot with an extra day off in March 2025.

In all cases, service quality remained unaffected.

Why participate?

Implementing reduced working time in Poland without income loss is one of the most discussed labour trends in Europe. This pilot provides evidence-based insight into the effectiveness of such models and could support future legislative change in the Polish Labour Code.

Legal Advisory by Accace Legal

Considering participation in the 2025 reduced working time in Poland pilot?
Accace Legal provides end-to-end support: risk assessment, work model design, formal documentation, and funding compliance.

Contact us to discuss tailored support for your organisation.

Agnieszka Samborska
Legal Adviser and Partner | Accace Poland
Book a meeting with Agnieszka
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