Resigned in Poland⌄ and not paid: what to do

What you are owed and when (umowa o pracę)

P.S. It doesn't matter who decided to end it — you or the employer. You are entitled to all of this in any case.

If you have an umowa zlecenie

• —There is no leave or świadectwo pracy under zlecenie. But you are owed money for your work just like under any contract.
• —When to pay is stated in the contract. If it says nothing — after the work is done.
• —If the contract lasts longer than a month, they are required to pay at least once a month. And no less than 31.40 zł gross per hour (2026).
• —PIP checks this — you can complain to them even with a zlecenie.
• —If you worked like a regular job — on a schedule, under a boss, at a single location — this may be an employment contract disguised as a zlecenie. In that case, you are entitled to both leave and świadectwo. PIP can file a lawsuit on its own to have this recognized.

What to do step-by-step

1. 1Calculate the debt: for which days, how many hours, how many days of leave. Write down the date you finished working.
2. 2Write to your employer — template below. Email, SMS, or messenger — the main thing is that a message with the date remains. Take a screenshot.
3. 3Wait 7 days. Not paid — call PIP and file a complaint. It's free of charge, the employer will not find out who complained.
4. 4Didn't help — go to court. Under umowa o pracę, this is the labour court (sąd pracy), and for a debt up to 50,000 zł it is free for you. Under zlecenie — an ordinary court, cheapest through the electronic court e-Sąd (e-sad.gov.pl).

Message to the employer

In Polish, you can copy this. Replace what is in the square brackets and delete extra lines.

Dzień dobry,
[data] zakończyłem/zakończyłam pracę w [nazwa firmy].
Do dziś nie otrzymałem/otrzymałam:
– wynagrodzenia za okres [od–do] w kwocie [kwota] zł,
– ekwiwalentu za niewykorzystany urlop ([liczba] dni),
– świadectwa pracy.
Proszę o wypłatę i przekazanie dokumentów do [data].
W przeciwnym razie złożę skargę do Państwowej Inspekcji Pracy i pozew do sądu.
[Imię i nazwisko], [telefon]

For zlecenie: remove the lines about leave and świadectwo, and instead of «wynagrodzenia» write «wynagrodzenia z umowy zlecenia».

Who to call and what to say

Free PIP consultation: 801 002 006 — from landlines, 459 599 000 — from mobile. Mon–Fri, 9:00–15:00. Couldn't get through — on pip.gov.pl you can request a lawyer's callback at a convenient time.

What to say: «Dzień dobry, pracodawca nie wypłacił mi pieniędzy po zakończeniu pracy. Co mogę zrobić?» You can ask them to speak slower.

Online complaint: pip.gov.pl → tab «e-skarga» → select your region. Provide your name, address, and what happened. Without your written consent, the employer will not be told who complained. Processed in up to 30 days.

If you worked off-the-books

• —Your rights do not disappear because of this. Work is what you actually did, not what is on paper.
• —Ask your boss for any paper: that you work for them, since what date, and how much they pay. With a signature — ideal. Even a messenger message like that is already proof.
• —Write down every day: date, times you arrived and left, where you worked. Photos at the workplace, entry pass, uniform — keep them.
• —Keep your correspondence: «come tomorrow at 7», «here is the money for the week».
• —If money came to your card — a bank statement will prove both the work and the amount.
• —Write down your colleagues' phone numbers — they can be called as witnesses.
• —With this, you can go to PIP or to sąd pracy to prove that you worked. For a worker, such a court is free.

Common questions

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