The analysis covered, among other aspects, working time records, daily and weekly rest periods, adherence to the five-day workweek, compliance with non-working Sundays, and the handling of overtime work.
Scope and scale of inspections
Over the three-year period, 6 567 inspections were conducted, covering 5 214 employers employing over 826 000 individuals, including 692 000 employment contracts. The inspections focused on verifying the accuracy of working time records and compliance with rules governing work time organization.
Complaints about irregularities
During this period, PIP received over 15 000 complaints related to violations of working time regulations. Inspections confirmed the validity of 4 549 complaints (29.86%), while 5 817 cases (38.18%) were found to be unfounded. In 3 848 instances (25.26%), it was not definitively established whether a violation had occurred, and 491 complaints (3.22%) remained unresolved within the given year.
Most commonly identified irregularities
The majority of issues were identified in recordkeeping of work time, where essential data, such as start and end times of work, were frequently missing. A significant increase in irregularities related to compensating for work on non-working days resulting from the standard five-day workweek was noted, rising from 8% in 2021 to 25% in 2023.
Causes of irregularities
The inspections identified the following primary causes for irregularities:
- Employers’ efforts to minimize operational costs through staff reductions or prioritizing economic goals over employee welfare.
- Deliberate violations of labor law.
- Insufficient knowledge or misinterpretation of regulations concerning working time, including provisions for vocational training or business travel.
- Lack of diligence in maintaining personnel documentation and inadequate oversight of work time planning and accounting.
The ambiguity of certain regulations, which often requires reference to case law for proper interpretation, was also cited as a factor complicating compliance.
Conclusions from the report
PIP inspections indicate that issues with compliance with working time regulations remain at a consistent level year after year. This topic continues to be one of the most significant challenges for HR departments. The report highlights the need to improve employers’ awareness and enhance supervision of compliance, which could help reduce the number of violations.
