Labour law · Poland
Sick leave lawyer in Poland for disputes over illness, dismissal and pay
Illness can collide with your working life: a dismissal arrives while you are recovering, the basis of your absence is questioned, or you are pressed to return too soon. A Polish-qualified lawyer can review what happened and act inside the deadlines. We match you with the right specialist, free of charge.
- Adwokaci and radcowie prawni with equal rights of audience
- Cases heard by the Polish ordinary courts
- Short 21-day window for dismissal claims
Free matching · No obligation · Polish-qualified lawyers
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Why this page exists
When being ill turns into a legal problem
Being ill should be a pause in your working life, not a threat to it. Yet in Poland an illness can sit at the centre of a labour dispute: the reason for your absence is questioned, a dismissal arrives while you are recovering, or your return to work is refused. Polish labour law is codified, above all in the Labour Code of 1974, and labour cases are heard by the ordinary courts, so the route from a problem to a decision is clear — but the deadlines are not generous. A sick leave lawyer in Poland can assess your position, gather the documents that matter and act before a short time limit closes the door. We match you with a Polish-qualified lawyer, free of charge.
Poland in practice
How sick leave disputes work in Poland
Poland resolves labour disputes through codified statutes and the ordinary courts, and that shapes every sick leave case from the first letter to the final hearing. The deadlines below are the ones most often relevant when an illness has become a legal problem. Treat them as a checklist, not as a substitute for advice on your own dates.
Where your case is heard
Labour disputes fall within the ordinary courts of Poland. District courts (sądy rejonowe) act as first-instance courts, regional courts (sądy okręgowe) hear first-instance cases of greater weight and sit as a second instance, and appellate courts (sądy apelacyjne) decide appeals. The Supreme Court exercises cassation jurisdiction and unifies case law. Because Poland follows the continental civil-law model, outcomes rest on codified statutes such as the Labour Code of 1974.
The 21-day deadline after a dismissal
If you are dismissed, a claim before the labour court must be brought within 21 days. That is one of the shortest employment periods in Polish law, and it runs whether or not you happen to be on sick leave at the time. A first consultation early is worth more than a perfect file assembled too late.
Who is entitled to represent you
Poland has two legal professions, the adwokat and the radca prawny, with equal rights of audience before all courts since 1 July 2015. Both complete a three-year professional training (aplikacja) and pass a professional examination, and both are compulsory members of their self-government. Either profession can conduct your labour case, so you are not tied to one title.
What representation costs
Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed between lawyer and client; there are no binding official tariffs. In pecuniary civil claims the court fee is in principle 5% of the amount in dispute, with a minimum fee and a statutory cap, while labour-law matters attract fixed or reduced fees. A regulation of the Minister of Justice limits the representation costs that a winning party can recover.
If you cannot afford a lawyer
Two mechanisms protect access to justice. Free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna), regulated by the Act of 5 August 2015, is delivered through non-governmental legal aid points. Separately, a court may exempt a person of limited means from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny z urzędu under the Civil Procedure Code and the Court Costs Act; that lawyer is paid from public funds.
Illness with a cross-border element
If your employer, contract or workplace links Poland with another EU state, EU law applies directly in Poland and takes precedence over conflicting national legislation. Polish courts still hear the case under the Labour Code and the procedural codes, with EU rules sitting alongside them. A lawyer who handles cross-border employment files can map which rules govern your situation.
Key time limit — Employment Law
Employment dismissal claim — 21 days. The short window in which a dismissal can be challenged before the labour court.
The country-specific information on this page is drawn from official Polish and European sources — the e-Justice portal and Polish legislation published through ISAP — consulted in 2025.
Common situations
What people bring to us
Most sick leave cases arrive with the same three worries.
The clock runs while you recover
A dismissal claim in Poland must be brought within 21 days, and that period does not pause because you are ill. Waiting for a certificate or a better moment can narrow your options before you have spoken to anyone.
Your absence is questioned
Employers may dispute the basis of an absence, and the paperwork that proves your situation sits with you. Without a lawyer reviewing the sequence of events, it is hard to know which documents matter and which arguments to set aside.
Two professions, unfamiliar rules
Poland has two legal professions — adwokat and radca prawny — and a court structure with district, regional and appellate tiers. Choosing the wrong starting point costs time you may not have. We point you to a lawyer who handles labour cases regularly.
How we help
Matching built for Polish labour cases
You describe the problem once; we do the searching.
Polish-qualified lawyers only
Every lawyer we match you with is entered on a Polish regional bar or chamber list as an adwokat or radca prawny — the two professions that hold rights of audience before all Polish courts.
Deadline-first matching
We ask about dates before anything else: a dismissal, a refusal, a certificate. Because the dismissal claim window in Poland is only 21 days, timing is the first filter we apply.
Costs explained before you commit
Lawyers’ fees in Poland are freely agreed, and court fees follow the Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases. Your lawyer sets out the basis of the fee, and you decide whether to go ahead.
Coverage across Poland
We work with lawyers in Warsaw, Kraków, Łódź, Wrocław, Poznań, Gdańsk, Szczecin, Lublin, Katowice and Bydgoszcz, including those who handle cross-border employment files alongside local ones.
Cross-border
Where our clients come from
Sick leave problems rarely stay within one border. We also match clients connected to these countries:
Questions
Sick leave and Polish labour law
What can a sick leave lawyer in Poland do if I am dismissed while I am ill?
A lawyer can examine whether the dismissal is open to challenge and, if it is, prepare the claim for the labour court. Timing is critical: an employment dismissal claim must be brought within 21 days, a period that runs whether or not you are still on sick leave. Early advice protects that window.
Can I be represented while I am still recovering at home?
Yes. Polish law allows you to be represented by an adwokat or radca prawny, and both professions have identical rights of audience before every court, including the Supreme Court. You authorise a lawyer to act for you, and the case can move forward while you concentrate on recovery.
How much does a sick leave case cost in Poland?
There are no binding official tariffs for lawyers’ fees; they are agreed freely between you and the lawyer. Court fees follow the Act on Court Costs in Civil Cases: a pecuniary claim generally attracts 5% of the amount in dispute, labour-law matters attract fixed or reduced fees, and the losing party may be ordered to reimburse costs.
Is there free legal help for employees in Poland?
Yes. Free legal aid (nieodpłatna pomoc prawna) under the Act of 5 August 2015 is delivered through non-governmental legal aid points. A court can also exempt a person of limited means from court costs and appoint an adwokat or radca prawny z urzędu, whose remuneration is paid from public funds.
Which Polish court will hear my labour dispute?
Labour cases belong to the ordinary courts. A district court (sąd rejonowy) hears the case at first instance, a regional court (sąd okręgowy) deals with more serious or higher-value cases and hears appeals, and an appellate court (sąd apelacyjny) decides second-instance appeals. The Supreme Court handles cassation and unifies case law.
Do I need a lawyer qualified in Poland if my employer is foreign?
To practise in Poland you must be entered on the list kept by a regional bar or chamber, after Polish legal training or a recognised foreign degree and the professional examination. Where your file has a cross-border element, EU law applies directly and takes precedence over conflicting national rules, which a Polish-qualified lawyer can explain.
Next step
Tell us what happened and we will find your lawyer
Describe your situation in a few lines — the date of the dismissal, the period of sick leave, what your employer said. We match you with a Polish-qualified lawyer who works with cases like yours, at no cost to you and with no obligation to instruct.