In every employee's life there may be events that require their presence away from the workplace – such as a wedding, the birth of a child or the death of a loved one. Polish labour law, understanding these needs, makes it possible to take special leave. This is dedicated time off that allows employees to take part in important life moments without having to use their well-earned annual leave.
Who is entitled to special leave?
Special leave is due to every employee employed under an employment contract. Importantly, the right to such leave stems directly from the Regulation of the Minister of Labour and Social Policy of 15 May 1996 on the manner of justifying absences from work and granting employees time off work. Under this regulation, an employee has the right to take two days off on the occasion of their own wedding and one day for the wedding of their child.
What documents are needed to submit a special leave application?
To obtain days off work, the employee should submit a special leave application. The application should be submitted early enough to allow the employer to organise work during the employee's absence. There is no requirement to provide additional documents confirming the reason for the leave, unless the employer has internally decided otherwise.
Special leave for your own wedding
A wedding is one of those exceptional events in life that requires time and commitment so that everything goes perfectly. In Poland, in accordance with labour law, employees are entitled to a special form of support - special leave for a wedding. It allows you to celebrate this important day without the rush and stress associated with work.
How many days of special leave are you entitled to for your own wedding?
Every employee, regardless of the form of employment, is entitled to 2 days off for their own wedding. This is time that allows for the final preparations and for celebrating the event itself. It is worth noting that these days are paid, which means the employee receives pay for special leave as if they were at work.
How to use special leave for your own wedding?
To take special leave, the employee should submit a leave application, preferably with appropriate notice, so that the employer can plan cover or reorganise work during their absence. In practice, most employees choose to use these days immediately before the planned wedding date, which allows for calm preparation for the ceremony.
Can special leave for a wedding be split?
Under the regulations, special leave for a wedding is flexible in terms of when it is used. The employee can split the days of leave if the organisation of work allows it and if the employer agrees. For example, one day off can be used to take care of formalities before a civil wedding, and the other for the civil or church wedding ceremony itself.
Special leave for a child's wedding
Special leave for a child's wedding is a form of support provided by Polish labour law for parents who wish to take part in their child's wedding. Under the applicable regulations, parents are entitled to one day of special leave for their own child's wedding. This is an important benefit that allows parents to be present at such an important event without having to use days of annual leave.
Who is entitled to special leave for a child's wedding?
Special leave for a child's wedding is due to every employee who is a parent of the bride or groom. This entitlement applies regardless of whether it is a civil wedding, a church (religious) wedding or a concordat wedding.
How many days of special leave are you entitled to for a child's wedding?
In the event of the wedding of an employee's child, the employee is entitled to 1 day of special leave.
How should special leave for a child's wedding be used?
To take special leave, the employee should submit a special leave application to their employer. The application should be submitted early enough to allow the employer to organise work during the employee's absence. Leave for a child's wedding can be used both on the day of the ceremony and on another date connected with the event, according to the employee's needs and arrangements with the employer.
Special leave for the wedding of a brother or sister
As standard, Polish labour law does not provide for special leave for the wedding of a brother or sister. Nevertheless, in practice, some companies decide to extend the catalogue of circumstances allowing its use as a way of attracting and retaining valuable employees. Such practices are part of the company's HR policy and may be set out in the internal workplace regulations.
If an organisation has decided to allow employees special leave for the wedding of a brother or sister, it is usually granted on similar terms to the special leave provided for in the Polish Labour Code – i.e. it is paid time off that does not affect the number of days of annual leave. Employers often decide that an employee may use one or two days of special leave depending on the company's organisational needs.
Pay for special leave
Special leave is one of the key employee entitlements, allowing participation in significant life events, such as your own wedding, your child's wedding or the birth of a child, without fear of losing income. Understanding how pay for special leave is determined is crucial for every employee planning to exercise this right.
Rules for determining pay for special leave
Pay for special leave is paid at the same rate as pay for time normally worked. This means that the employee receives full pay for the days on which they used special leave for a wedding or other special occasions. Importantly, these days are not deducted from the annual leave allowance, which benefits the employee by providing additional days off without affecting their yearly leave limit.
The process of calculating pay
Pay for special leave is calculated on the basis of the employee's average pay. If the employee receives a fixed monthly salary, their daily pay for special leave is equivalent to the pay for one normal working day. If the pay includes variable components, such as bonuses or commissions, the average of these earnings from recent months must be taken into account.
When can an employee receive pay for special leave?
An employee is entitled to pay for special leave in the situations defined by the Polish Labour Code, such as the employee's wedding, a child's wedding or the birth of a child. Special leave is also available at the employee's request, which means the employee can decide to use this leave according to their own needs, provided they submit a special leave application and it is accepted by the employer.
The importance of pay for special leave
Pay for special leave gives employees financial stability during absences from work for personal reasons, which is extremely important for maintaining a balance between professional and private life. Thanks to this, employees do not have to worry about the impact of important life events on their financial situation, which increases their job satisfaction and loyalty to their employer.
Summary
Special leave is a key employee right in Poland, making it possible to be present at important family events, such as a wedding. It is due to the employee both for their own wedding and for their child's wedding, which provides flexibility and support at key moments in life.
An employee has the right to 2 days of special leave for a wedding, regardless of whether it is a civil or concordat ceremony. This leave is also granted on the birth of a child, allowing parents to be present at such an important event. Crucially, special leave is paid and does not affect the annual leave allowance, providing additional days off on the occasion of a wedding or the birth of a child.
The procedure for applying for special leave usually requires submitting an application, which should be done with appropriate notice so that the employer can organise work during the employee's absence. The application is a sufficient document to obtain the leave, without the need to provide additional evidence of the reason for the leave.
When using special leave, the employee retains the right to full pay, as for time normally worked. This is particularly important when the wedding is planned or takes place at short notice. Pay for this time is calculated on the basis of average pay for the period of employment, which gives the employee financial stability.
In summary, special leave for an employee's wedding offers not only time off to celebrate, but also financial security, allowing employees to use this leave without additional burden. This right is an important element supporting work-life balance, which contributes to greater employee satisfaction and loyalty towards their employers.
