Couriers are supposed to work on Christmas Eve. The National Labor Inspectorate will carry out an inspection
The website informed last week that couriers in many regions of the country will have to deliver parcels on December 24. The problem mainly concerns people working under civil law contracts and B2B contracts, who are not protected under the Labor Code. Their situation is regulated by the Civil Code, which in practice means that the legally free Christmas Eve does not cover them.
The companies questioned by journalists covered themselves, among others, with: “care for customers” or “specificity of the logistics and courier industry”.
See also: Will stores be open on Christmas Eve? The first such situation in history
However, these explanations did not convince the Ministry of Labor. Minister of Family, Labor and Social Policy Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, who initiated the introduction of a free Christmas Eve, considered the case to be a signal of possible circumvention of the law. The Ministry asked the National Labor Inspectorate to consider inspections of courier companies.
As reported by the ministry's press office to Wyborczej.biz, The aim of PIP's activities will be to check whether in these cases there is no violation of Art. 22 of the Labor Code, i.e. replacing employment contracts with civil law contracts in conditions typical of full-time employment. Inspectors are also to check whether regulations regarding working time on public holidays are violated.
The inspections will cover not only couriers, but also employees of warehouses, which would have to remain open on Christmas Eve to handle the shipment of parcels. During the pre-Christmas period, such logistics centers often employ additional people through employment agencies or on the so-called garbage trucks. Such violations are punishable by a fine of PLN 1,000. up to 30 thousand zloty. In the case of trade, the sanctions are even stricter – fines can reach up to PLN 100,000. zloty.
See also: 5 thousand PLN as a gift for Christmas? This is how Poles would distribute the additional money
Christmas Eve off from work. New regulations
From 2025, Christmas Eve is a public holiday. In return, the number of commercial Sundays before holidays was increased from two to three. Large-format stores will be closed on December 24, unless the owner or a member of his family stands behind the counter. Exceptions include: gas stations, pharmacies, bakeries and flower shops.
See also: Christmas Eve is a day off from work. “They promised a free Christmas Eve and it is. The fact that you will have to work three weeks without a break before that is nothing.”
The National Labor Inspectorate has already announced that it will rigorously enforce the new regulations. People who legally work on Christmas Eve are entitled to another day off or a 100% salary supplement for each hour worked.
