The Council of Ministers has presented its official proposal for the minimum wage and minimum hourly rate in Poland for the year 2026. These proposals have been submitted to the Social Dialogue Council (Rada Dialogu Społecznego, RDS) for consultation.
According to the government’s plan, the minimum monthly gross wage in 2026 would be set at 4,806 PLN, while the minimum hourly wage would rise to 31.40 PLN.
“The government’s proposal responds to the appeal made by the Business Centre Club (BCC) and the Council of Entrepreneurship to take a rational approach to the issue of the minimum wage,” said Łukasz Bernatowicz, President of the BCC Employers’ Association. “There were no economic grounds to justify the sharp increase initially suggested by the Ministry of Family, Labour and Social Policy. While the presented proposal is not ideal from our perspective, it is close to what we expected.”
Concerns About Steep Increases and Business Impact
Bernatowicz emphasized that in recent years, the minimum wage in Poland has risen sharply and suddenly, which has placed a significant burden on many businesses. He noted that this contributed to the closure of numerous companies.
“We are still waiting for the government to address the negative effects of the so-called ‘Polish Deal’. In this situation, another substantial increase in the minimum wage would be a serious mistake,” he added.
What Happens Next?
If the Social Dialogue Council fails to reach an agreement within the legally specified timeframe, the final decision on the minimum wage will be made by the government through a regulation issued by the Council of Ministers.
Source: CEO.com.pl – “Not Ideal, But Acceptable: Government’s Minimum Wage Proposal Reviewed by BCC”
