Biznes Fakty
Reduced working hours. Hundreds of companies already want to participate in the pilot program.
The Ministry of Family, Labor, and Social Policy reports significant interest in the short-time work pilot initiative. During the initial week of the application phase, 150 full applications were received, with an additional 694 currently being prepared. Submissions will be accepted until September 15th.
The recruitment for the pilot initiative commenced on August 14 and is conducted in an open format—timing of applications does not affect the process, and all projects will be evaluated based on uniform criteria.
Shortening Working Hours: Strong Interest from Companies
The Ministry of Labor highlighted that the program is designed for micro, small, and medium-sized enterprises, as well as larger corporations and public institutions. This inclusivity enables a variety of organizations to explore how the initiative operates in different settings.
– These figures indicate that there are employers in Poland eager to seize this exceptional opportunity to reduce working hours while preserving wages – stated Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy, as reported in the ministry’s press release.
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Potential Grants of Up to One Million Zlotys
The financial resources for the pilot program are sourced from the Labor Fund reserve and are strictly earmarked for the purposes outlined in the regulations. The funding will encompass, among other aspects, organizational and technological modifications aimed at process enhancements, employee training, and co-financing of employee salaries during the program’s duration.
The pilot program has a budget of PLN 50 million for the years 2025–2027. The maximum support for individual projects is PLN 1 million, with the cost per employee funded through the program not exceeding PLN 20,000. For the year 2025 alone, PLN 10 million has been allocated for the project’s execution.
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A Range of Models to Select From
The application period will extend until September 15, with the list of approved projects to be released by October 15, 2025. The program is structured in three phases: a preparatory phase (concluding at the end of 2025), a testing phase (throughout 2026), and a summary phase ending in May 2027.
The regulations for the pilot program and the application link can be found on the website of the Ministry of Family, Labor and Social Policy.
