Working mom – rights and privileges in Poland

March 8, 2021

A baby is not just a project for a lifetime. It is also our daily inspiration and someone to whom we dedicate the rest of our lives. A mother who takes care of a child knows this very well. And what if the mother, apart from taking care of the child, wants to climb the career ladder? Can these two roles be smoothly squared? What is the role of an employer in this process?

Laws of a mom at work

As a rule, from the moment of becoming pregnant until the day of childbirth, as well as during maternity, parental and child-care leave, a woman employed full-time is under the protection of the Labor Code. Throughout this period, she cannot be fired (the exception is the liquidation of the job position). What is more, the employee does not have to inform her employer that she becomes pregnant. Moreover, pregnant women may not perform tasks at work that are strenuous, dangerous or harmful to their health, that may cause physical or mental injuries, are dangerous or involve strenuous exercise. A detailed list of such works is specified in the provisions of the CP. The employer is also obliged to justify the absence of a pregnant woman when she has to go to the doctor or has to perform the required tests. Moreover, a parent of a child under 4 years of age can be sent on a business trip only with the approval of the employee.

What leaves are moms entitled to?

• Maternity leave – 20 weeks
• Parental leave – up to 32 weeks (This amounts to 52 weeks in total. In the case of multiple births, the leaves are longer depending on the number of children).
• Childcare leave – up to 36 months (the condition is an employment for at least 6 months. The leave can be divided into a maximum of 5 parts).

Privileges of a mom returning to work

Among other things, the break for breastfeeding a child, the number and size of which depends on the number of babies being fed and the number of hours worked on a given day. Mom is also entitled to the so-called “additional childcare” of 2 days, until her child turns 14.

How to reconcile the role of an employee and a mother?

VGD strives to meet mother-friendly premises that make it easier for moms to return to work. The processes at our company are arranged so that employees are not overwhelmed with duties and do not work overtime. Balance between work and private life is very important to us, both for employees’ involvement and their work efficiency. We try to approach each employee individually. During the maternity leave, we try to have frequent contact with female employees so that they gradually return to work. Thanks to this, they do not slot straight back into professional activity after maternity leave, but come back smoothly, being less affected by the feeling of being apart from a baby. Another important aspect is flexibility. We support remote work not only for future mothers, but also for our entire group of employees.

Thanks to the support we give, our female employees are not afraid to speak openly about their plans related to motherhood. Together with the company, they celebrate the moment when they learn about changes taking place in their lives. They quickly provide us with information about their condition, which allows us as an employer to properly plan the period of their absence and prepare well for it. In addition, our mothers feel supported and understood. They can calmly prepare for their new life role without worrying about losing job.

This post was created to promote the improvement of employment of working mothers, which are still in 2021 treated unfairly. VGD supports women in their professional development, teaching them how to find a balance between work and life. We are the Signatory of the Diversity Charter, so we will not stop at this article by discussing issues that affect women.

Author: Jolanta Rustecki