170 thousand PLN “in hand” for leaving. Registration for severance pay at the Polish Mining Group has started

Polska Grupa Górnicza collects applications from employees interested in taking advantage of one-off severance pay (JOP) and mining and processing leaves provided for in the amended Mining Act.

According to PGG's Tuesday press release on this matter, completed applications can be submitted at consultation points in mines and plants as well as in employee affairs departments.

PGG reminds that on January 1 this year an amendment to the Act on the Operation of Hard Coal Mining entered into force. It allows, among other things, for mining companies to launch social protection for employees who want to voluntarily leave the industry.

Estimated number of people willing to take mining holidays

These are 5-year leaves for miners working underground and 4-year leaves for mechanical coal processing workers (80% of remuneration calculated as for holiday leave, without the obligation to work).

The remaining employees can – even before the mine is formally put into liquidation, as was the case so far – benefit from a one-off severance pay of PLN 170,000 when leaving work. PLN net.

The condition for benefiting from one-off severance pay is at least 3 years of employment in an enterprise covered by the Act and not less than 12 months to acquire pension rights.

In total, according to PGG's previous estimates, approximately 3.6 thousand people could benefit from the protective instruments. the company's employees, i.e. approx. 10 percent According to the company's information, from the beginning of 2026, approximately 4.2 thousand employees will be entitled to mining leaves and leaves for mechanical processing of coal. people.

PGG conducted a survey on interest in protective instruments from the then planned amendment to the Mining Act in December 2024. Participation in it was voluntary: 13.4 thousand responses were provided. people from the then nearly 37,000-strong crew.

The last electronic survey on one-off severance pay was conducted by PGG in October last year. 1,209 employees expressed their willingness to take advantage of severance pay – 490 underground workers and 719 surface workers. In terms of interest in mining and processing holidays, the company's employee services will conduct individual interviews.

Schedule for the mine

Last week, PGG announced that the restructuring – based on the amended mining act – of the Wujek section of the Staszic-Wujek mine will begin in April this year, and the Bielszowice section of the Ruda mine – in July this year.

In the case of the Wujek movement, according to PGG, statutory protections will be available – after meeting the internship conditions specified in the Act and obtaining the employer's consent – to approximately 200 out of approximately 800 employees of this movement. The remaining employees will be involved in the liquidation process on this route or will work on the Murcki–Staszic route.

In the case of Bielszowice, in 2026, a total of approximately 800 employees will be able to benefit from the benefits, including 450 people – on mining holidays, 100 people – on leaves for coal mechanical processing workers and 250 people – on one-off severance pay.

Already in January this year. 90 employees of the preparatory units transferred from the Bielszowice movement to the Halemba movement. 75 employees of these branches are to move to the Sośnica mine. Systematic allocations to Halemba or other company branches are also planned.

Employment guarantee and new regulations

The Management Board of PGG ensures that the processes relating to the Bielszowice and Wujek operations will be carried out in a responsible and transparent manner, in full cooperation with the employees of these plants. No one will lose their job – every willing employee will be able to continue working in the company.

Amended in December this year. The Mining Act assumes, among other things, that: the mines will not, as before, be transferred to an external restructuring companybut liquidated by the mining entrepreneur's own efforts with financial support from the state.

The amendment also provides for easier management of post-mining areas (entrepreneurs can, among other things, transfer them to local governments), introduces a package of protective benefits for employees and is intended to ultimately limit subsidies for the operation of mines. The amendment entered into force on January 1, 2026 (PAP)

mtb/pad/