On 30 July 2026, the President of Poland signed an amendment to the Labour Code that changes the definition of workplace bullying, expands employers’ responsibilities and introduces a minimum level of compensation for affected employees.
The legislation was published on 4 August 2026 and will enter into force on 5 November 2026. Employers will then have six months to amend their workplace regulations or introduce separate policies setting out rules for preventing workplace bullying, discrimination and violations of employees’ dignity.
Workplace Bullying Will No Longer Have to Be Long-Term
The central element of the definition of workplace bullying will remain broadly unchanged: it will still involve persistent harassment of an employee.
Under the amended rules, however, employees will no longer have to prove that the harassment continued for a prolonged period or resulted in a specific consequence, such as a negative assessment of their professional suitability. The perpetrator’s intention will also be irrelevant.
Workplace bullying may take various forms, including humiliation, intimidation, unjustified criticism, ridicule, isolation from the team, obstruction of work duties or restriction of access to information. Such conduct may be physical, verbal or non-verbal.
An isolated incident will not constitute workplace bullying, although it may still infringe an employee’s personal rights.
“The perpetrator may be not only the employer or a manager, but also a colleague, a subordinate, a group of people or a person performing work under an arrangement other than an employment contract. Encouraging others to engage in such behaviour will also constitute a violation,” said Joanna Łuksza, Head of the Accounting Experts Team at IFIRMA.PL.
Higher Compensation for Affected Employees
One of the most significant changes introduced by the amendment is a statutory minimum level of compensation for employees who have experienced workplace bullying.
“An employee who has been subjected to workplace bullying will be entitled to seek compensation from the employer amounting to at least six times the statutory minimum wage, or to claim damages. Based on the minimum wage applicable in 2026, this means a minimum payment of PLN 28,836,” the IFIRMA.PL expert said.
Companies Will Have to Introduce Formal Procedures
Every employer, regardless of the number of people employed, will be required to take systematic measures to prevent workplace bullying and unequal treatment.
These obligations will include preventing misconduct, identifying irregularities, responding to reports, taking corrective action and providing support to affected employees.
Employers with at least 10 employees will also be required to establish rules, procedures and the frequency of measures aimed at preventing violations of employees’ dignity and other personal rights, discrimination and workplace bullying, as well as ensuring equal treatment.
Where these provisions are not included in a collective bargaining agreement or workplace regulations, the employer will have to issue a separate policy.
“In practice, employers should clearly define how misconduct can be reported, who is responsible for reviewing complaints and how internal investigations will be conducted. They should also train management staff and document the actions they take,” Łuksza said.
“Simply adopting a procedure will not be sufficient if employees are unaware of it or if reports are left without a response,” she added.
