For overtime in Poland a worker on an umowa o pracę (employment contract) gets their normal hourly pay plus an allowance of 50% or 100% of their rate. Work at night also earns a separate night work allowance (dodatek nocny): in 2026 it is PLN 5.22 to PLN 6.01 an hour, depending on the month. Below we cover which allowance applies when, how much overtime is allowed, a worked example and what to do if you haven’t been paid in full.
What counts as overtime
Overtime hours (godziny nadliczbowe, or nadgodziny in everyday speech) are work beyond your normal working time: more than 8 hours a day, more than an average of 40 hours a week in the settlement period, or more than your extended daily working time if you have that kind of schedule. The rules are set out in the Labour Code (Kodeks pracy, ustawa z dnia 26 czerwca 1974 r.), articles 151–151⁴.
An employer may order overtime only in two cases: when people, property or the environment need to be rescued or a breakdown needs to be fixed, and when the employer has special needs. Overtime is banned, among others, for pregnant women and minors, and workers caring for a child under 8 may only be given overtime with their consent.
How much extra you get for overtime: 50% or 100%
The allowance is paid on top of your normal pay for every overtime hour (art. 151¹ Kodeksu pracy). Its amount depends on when you worked:
| When the overtime was worked | Allowance |
|---|---|
| At night, during the night period | 100% |
| On a Sunday or public holiday that is not a working day in your schedule | 100% |
| On a day off given to you in return for working on a Sunday or holiday | 100% |
| Beyond the average 40-hour working week, for example on a free Saturday with no other day off given in return | 100% |
| At any other time, for example in the evening after your normal shift | 50% |
The allowance is calculated from your rate: hourly or monthly salary. For a monthly salary, the hourly rate is usually worked out by dividing the salary by the number of working hours in the month.
If you worked on a Sunday or holiday as part of your schedule, not as overtime, your employer must give you another day off. If that is not possible, you are due a 100% allowance for every such hour.
How much overtime you can work in a year
- 150 hours per calendar year is the general overtime limit for the employer’s special needs. The work regulations, collective agreement or employment contract may set a different number.
- Total working time including overtime may not exceed 48 hours a week on average in the settlement period.
- Hours spent on rescue work or fixing a breakdown do not count towards the 150-hour limit.
- Hours for which you got time off still count towards the limit.
Time off instead of the allowance
Instead of money, your employer can give you free time (art. 151² Kodeksu pracy):
- if you ask for it in writing – as many hours as you worked as overtime, hour for hour;
- without your request – one and a half times as much: 3 hours of free time for 2 hours of overtime, no later than the end of the settlement period and in a way that does not reduce your monthly pay.
In both cases the 50% or 100% allowance is no longer paid. So before you put in a request, work out what suits you better: money or a day off.
Night work allowance in 2026: formula and amounts
The night period (pora nocna) is 8 hours between 21:00 and 7:00. Your employer sets exactly which hours in its internal rules, for example from 22:00 to 6:00.
For every hour of work during this time you are due an allowance of 20% of the hourly rate based on the minimum wage (art. 151⁸ Kodeksu pracy). Your own rate does not affect the amount of this statutory allowance, although your employer may set a higher one in its rules.
Payroll departments usually calculate it like this: PLN 4,806 ÷ number of working hours in the month × 20%. That is why the amount changes from month to month:
- January and February 2026 – 160 working hours each, an allowance of PLN 6.01 an hour;
- March 2026 – 176 hours, PLN 5.46;
- April 2026 – 168 hours, PLN 5.72;
- July 2026 – 184 hours, PLN 5.22, the lowest in the year.
If an overtime hour falls at night, you get both the 100% overtime allowance and the night work allowance. Neither overtime pay nor the night work allowance counts towards the minimum wage: without them, your full-time pay must be at least PLN 4,806. Your base pay can be lower if, together with a bonus or other components that do count, it reaches the minimum wage.
Worked example for March 2026
A warehouse worker on a full-time umowa o pracę has a base salary of PLN 4,806 gross. March 2026 has 176 working hours, so his hourly rate is 4,806 ÷ 176 = PLN 27.31. During the month he worked 40 scheduled hours during the night period, stayed on for another 8 hours after day shifts and worked 4 hours of overtime at night.
- Base salary: PLN 4,806.00.
- Daytime overtime, 50% allowance: 8 × 27.31 × 1.5 = PLN 327.72.
- Night-time overtime, 100% allowance: 4 × 27.31 × 2 = PLN 218.48.
- Night work allowance: (40 + 4) × 5.46 = PLN 240.24.
Total PLN 5,592.44 gross. ZUS contributions and the tax advance are deducted from this amount in the same way as from the base salary. On your payslip (pasek wynagrodzeń) each allowance should be shown on a separate line.
Umowa zlecenia: is there extra pay for overtime and nights
The Labour Code does not apply to an umowa zlecenia (civil-law contract of mandate), so there are no statutory 50% or 100% allowances and no night work allowance. Only the minimum hourly rate is compulsory: in 2026 it is PLN 31.40 gross for every hour worked. A higher rate for nights or weekends can be written into the contract, and then it must be paid.
What to do if your overtime hasn’t been paid
- Keep a record of your hours: the date, the start and end of each shift, night hours. A photo of the schedule will also help.
- Compare your records with your payslip: overtime with the 50% and 100% allowances and the night work allowance should be shown separately.
- Write to your employer asking them to explain the calculation and pay the difference. Keep a copy or proof of sending.
- If there is no answer, go to the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy, PIP) or the labour court (sąd pracy).
- Don’t put it off: the limitation period for employment claims, including pay, is 3 years from the day the payment was due (art. 291 Kodeksu pracy).
If you work through an employment agency, the agency is your employer: it calculates and pays your wages, allowances included. More on this in our article on temporary worker rights. Official explanations on working time are on the Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy website.
How STARKO helps
STARKO employs people under a legal contract under Polish law, with insurance, and pays wages into your bank account every month on a fixed day. Our coordinator speaks Ukrainian and Russian and is available every day. See our current jobs with accommodation and transport.
Frequently asked questions
How much is overtime pay in Poland in 2026?
A worker on an umowa o pracę gets normal pay for every overtime hour plus an allowance of 50% or 100% of their rate. It is 100% for hours at night, on a Sunday or public holiday that is a day off for them, and in a few other cases, and 50% for the rest.
Can my employer give me time off instead of paying for overtime?
Yes. If you ask for it in writing, hour for hour; without your request, one and a half times as much free time before the end of the settlement period. No allowance is paid then, but your monthly pay may not go down.
How many hours of overtime can I work in a year?
As a rule 150 hours a year, unless the work regulations, collective agreement or employment contract set a different limit. Total working time including overtime may not exceed 48 hours a week on average.
What is the night shift allowance in Poland?
20% of the hourly rate based on the minimum wage for every hour worked during the night period set by the employer between 21:00 and 7:00. In 2026 that is PLN 5.22 to PLN 6.01 an hour, depending on the month.
Do you get overtime pay on an umowa zlecenia?
The law does not provide for such allowances on an umowa zlecenia. Only the minimum rate of PLN 31.40 gross for every hour in 2026 is compulsory, but a higher rate for nights or weekends can be written into the contract.
What should I do if my employer hasn’t paid my overtime?
Compare your own record of hours with your payslip, ask in writing for the missing money, and if that doesn’t help, go to the National Labour Inspectorate (PIP) or the labour court. The limitation period for pay claims is 3 years.