Extra PTO: Additional maternity leave and a public holiday on Christmas Eve as early as 2025

Legislative changes are not slowing down – in fact, they are gaining momentum. On 27 November 2024, the Polish Sejm passed two amendments that could significantly affect many businesses.

Maternity leave

Additional maternity leave of up to 8 or 15 weeks – depending on the baby's birth weight, length of hospital stay and week of pregnancy – will be granted to parents of premature babies and children who have been hospitalised for health reasons after birth.

Thus – additional maternity leave will be a maximum:

·     15 weeks after birth – for parents (employees) of children born before the end of the 28th week of pregnancy or with a birth weight under 1,000 grams,

·     8 weeks after birth – for parents (employees) of a child born after the completion of the 28th week of pregnancy and before the completion of the 36th week of pregnancy and with a birth weight over 1,000 grams.

The duration of the additional maternity leave in the above two cases depends on...