Entrepreneurs express negative opinions towards a legislative bill proposing to introduce a day off from work on December 24 for Christmas Eve.
At the same time, Robert Składowski – President of the All-Poland Federation of Entrepreneurs and Employers Przedsiebiorcy.pl, appeals to the Marshal of the Sejm of the Republic of Poland, Szymon Hołownia, to initiate a parliamentary discussion on whether, in exchange for a free Christmas Eve, we should remove from the law of January 18, 1951 the public holidays – January 6 – the Feast of the Three Kings, or May 1 – the National Holiday, which was introduced in 1950 “in homage to all those who, through their work, created the greatness of our Motherland, supported its development and built a future for the next generations and to emphasize the value of human work – understood as a moral obligation but also as the perfection of the world we live in, carried out through the overall development of the human person, in the concern for the preservation of the dignity of human work and the associated freedom and wisdom” – says Dr. Marek Woch, the expert of the Legislation Center of the Przedsiebiorcy.pl Federation.
Robert Składowski – President of the Przedsiebiorcy.pl Federation, referring to the legislative bill of October 24, 2024, to amend the law on days off from work and some other laws, where lawmakers propose to introduce a day off from work on Christmas Eve, emphasizes that the proposals contained in the bill are significant in the discussion about the balance between professional and private life. Christmas Eve is one of the most important holidays in the year, and spending it with family is a priority for many, deeply rooted in Polish tradition, and a day off would highlight its special character.
However, from the entrepreneurs’ point of view, despite the idea enjoying large support from many employees, its introduction could have different consequences for different social groups and could be harmful to the economy. Negative consequences against a free Christmas Eve are seen as costs for the economy. Particularly severe for industries that record the greatest turnover during the Christmas period (retail, gastronomy). Additionally, employees in roles like, for instance, bakers, confectioners, or couriers, play a crucial role in Christmas preparations and would have to deal with additional workloads due to a free Christmas Eve. A day off could result in halting many production or logistic processes, leading to lower profits.
According to the Polish Economic Institute, there was also an unexpected drop in retail sales. Retail sales fell by 3.0% year-on-year in September. Data purged of seasonal fluctuations indicate a sharp drop of 6.7% month-on-month, and business sentiment surveys suggest weaker sales of durable goods in coming quarters.
However, as the bill’s promoters pointed out, “under current law, work on December 24 is performed in retail until 14:00, and many workplaces organize celebrations in the company, shorten working hours or completely exempt from the obligation to work on that day.” Thus, it’s not that employers are not aware of the significance of this day for employees but manage their company’s working times according to their industry’s specifics.
Taking into account the above, the Federation Przedsiebiorcy.pl negatively opined the presented draft of the law in this version and proposed a compromise solution. Frequent suggestions are made to introduce a free Christmas Eve connected with the removal of another statutory holiday. Hence, the proposition for a parliamentary discussion whether, in exchange for a free Christmas Eve, we should not remove from the law of January 18, 1951 on public holidays – January 6 – the Feast of the Three Kings, or May 1 – the National Holiday. By and large, current employees have a day off because their ancestors earned it.
However, if our ancestors worked towards making May 1 a day off, the question arises about who will work to ensure our children and grandchildren can enjoy prosperity in our country in the future if even the bill’s promoters cannot estimate the economic effects of the proposed solutions.
Dr. Marek Woch, Expert of the Legislation Center of the Przedsiebiorcy.pl Federation
Source: https://managerplus.pl/kontrowersje-wokol-wolnej-wigilii-przedsiebiorcy-ostrzegaja-przed-skutkami-dla-gospodarki-i-proponuja-kompromis-40341
