Employment Contracts in Poland: Umowa o Pracę vs Zlecenie

In Poland, foreign workers usually sign one of three agreements: an employment contract (umowa o pracę), a mandate contract (umowa zlecenie) or a contract for temporary agency work (praca tymczasowa). The employment contract gives the most rights – paid leave, sick pay and overtime pay – while the mandate contract is more flexible but has fewer protections.

Key takeaways

Umowa o pracę: full Labour Code protection – paid leave, sick pay, overtime supplements, notice periods.
Umowa zlecenie: civil-law contract; minimum 31.40 zł gross per hour in 2026, no statutory paid leave.
Agency work: you are employed by an agency and work at another company.
In most cases you are insured in ZUS and have access to public health care (NFZ).
Always get a written contract before your first day, with a translation.

Comparison table

	Employment contract (umowa o pracę)	Mandate contract (umowa zlecenie)	Temporary agency work
Legal basis	Labour Code	Civil Code	Special act + usually employment contract
Minimum pay 2026	4,806 zł gross / month (full time)	31.40 zł gross / hour	Same as your contract type
Paid leave	Yes (20 or 26 days per year)	No statutory leave	Yes, if on employment contract
Sick pay	Yes	Only with voluntary sickness insurance	Yes, if on employment contract
Overtime supplements	Yes	No – paid per hour	Yes, if on employment contract
Notice period	Yes, depends on length of work	Usually easy to end	Depends on contract
ZUS and NFZ	Yes	In most cases yes	Yes

Employment contract (umowa o pracę)

This is the standard contract under the Labour Code (Kodeks pracy). It gives you:

Paid annual leave – 20 days a year, or 26 days if your total work history (including some education) is at least 10 years. In your first year, leave is earned gradually.
Sick pay when you have a doctor’s certificate (L4).
Overtime supplements and a night work allowance.
Notice periods, so you cannot be dismissed from one day to the next (except in serious cases).
Full ZUS insurance and NFZ health care.

Employment contracts can be for a trial period, for a fixed term or indefinite.

Why it matters for foreigners: if you work on a declaration (oświadczenie) and spend at least 3 months on an employment contract, your employer can apply for a work permit for the same job, and your work stays legal until the decision. See declaration of entrusting work.

Mandate contract (umowa zlecenie)

This is a civil-law contract. It is common in agriculture, cleaning, security and short-term jobs.

Pay: at least 31.40 zł gross per hour in 2026.
The hours you work must be recorded.
No statutory paid leave and no overtime supplements.
In most cases, you are insured in ZUS (pension, disability) and have health insurance; sickness insurance is usually voluntary.
Easier to end for both sides.

If you are a student under 26, the rules on contributions can be different, so your net pay can be higher.

Temporary agency work (praca tymczasowa)

Many foreigners in Poland work through employment agencies (agencja pracy tymczasowej):

The agency is your employer and pays your salary.
You work at a user employer – a factory, warehouse or logistics centre.
The user employer organises your daily work.

Agencies must be registered in the KRAZ register. Your rights are generally equal to workers employed directly by the user employer in a similar job. There are also limits on how long you can work for the same user company through an agency.

Before signing, check the agency in KRAZ – see how to avoid job scams in Poland.

ZUS and NFZ: insurance explained

ZUS (Zakład Ubezpieczeń Społecznych) is the social security institution. Your employer registers you and pays contributions for pension, disability, sickness and accident insurance.
NFZ (Narodowy Fundusz Zdrowia) is the National Health Fund. When health contributions are paid for you, you can visit public doctors and hospitals.

Ask your employer for confirmation that you are registered (form ZUS ZUA or ZUS ZZA). Without registration, you have no health insurance.

What a good contract should include

Your name and the employer’s name and address.
Type of contract and duration.
Workplace and position.
Pay – gross amount, per hour or per month.
Working hours.
Deductions for housing or transport, if any – in writing.
Your signature and the employer’s signature, plus a translation into a language you understand.

The law also requires your employer to send a copy of the contract to the office via praca.gov.pl before you start.

Red flags

No written contract or “we will sign later”.
Contract only in Polish without translation.
Pay below 31.40 zł per hour or below the monthly minimum.
The agency keeps your passport.

Find a legal job

Register for free in JobPartner and get noticed by agencies that offer legal contracts. Learn more about pay in the minimum wage guide and see our legalization overview.

FAQ

What is the difference between umowa o pracę and umowa zlecenie?

Umowa o pracę is an employment contract under the Labour Code with paid leave, sick pay and overtime pay. Umowa zlecenie is a civil-law contract: you are paid at least 31.40 zł per hour in 2026, but you do not get statutory paid leave.

Do I have health insurance on umowa zlecenie?

In most cases yes. The client registers you with ZUS and pays the health contribution, which gives you access to public health care (NFZ).

What is temporary agency work?

You are employed by a registered employment agency that sends you to work for another company (the user employer). Usually you have an employment contract with the agency, which pays your salary.

Which contract is better for a foreign worker?

An employment contract gives the most protection. It can also help later, for example when moving from a declaration to a work permit, which requires at least 3 months on an employment contract.

This article is for information purposes only and is not legal advice. Laws change – check the current rules on gov.pl or ask our recruiter.