In Poland, there are several types of the contracts between an employer and an employee. It is crucial to know what are the benefits and downsides of each of the contracts so you know your rights and obligations when you decide to work in Poland.

Regular employment contracts (umowa o pracę)

Those contracts are regulated by the Labour Code. When you sign one of them you are entitled to paid holidays, maternity and childcare leave, severance pay in the event of collective redundancies and the dole lasting 6 months after leaving your work. Additionally, if you are planning to take a mortgage you would be considered a person with a stable income. However, for employers, this is the most expensive contract so it is not so easy to get it.

There are a few types of regular contracts:
1. For a trial period (contract for a trial period of no more than three months).
2. For a fixed period (a third subsequent fixed-term contract is signed, it is deemed to have become an indefinite term contract).
3. For the time of completion of a specified task.
4. For an indefinite period
5. To replace an employee – in the event of his or her justified absence from work the employer can hire another worker under a fixed-term employment contract for the period of absence.

Civil law contracts

Those contracts are regulated by the Civil Code, which differs from the above mainly in that they specify a piece of work to be done within a defined period of time, quite often without setting working hours; the most popular ones, among many others, are the following two:

1. Umowa zlecenie concluded for a performance of a specified activity
This type of contract does not impose daily or weekly time limits for performing the work, do not necessitate the payment of overtime, do not require the creation of internal rules of employment, and do not give the mandatory social protection.

2. Umowa o dzieło concluded for the achievement of a specific result
Contracts to perform a specified task or work are frequently concluded because they are not subject to social security contributions. However, if a firm concludes a contract to perform a specific task or work with an employee, it is obliged to pay social security contributions just as in the case of a contract of employment.

Ways of ending a work relationship

An employment contract can be dissolved:
1. With the agreement of the parties.
2. By one of the parties giving notice (employer or employee) with a notice period.
3. By one of the parties giving notice without a notice period.

A contract concluded for a fixed term or for the time it takes to complete a specific task is dissolved at the end of the term or when the task is completed (although it can, in certain circumstances, be dissolved earlier).

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