Changes in payments from January 1. They will cover 3 million Poles

At the beginning of 2025, the minimum wage in Poland will increase. From January 1 next year, the minimum wage will increase from the current PLN 4,300 to PLN 4,666 gross, which means that the national minimum wage will increase by PLN 366. At the beginning of the year, the minimum hourly rate will also increase – from PLN 28.10 to PLN 30.50 gross.

The minimum wage in 2025 will increase only once

As the praw.pl website notes, in accordance with the regulation of the Council of Ministers of September 12, 2024 on the amount of the minimum remuneration for work and the amount of the minimum hourly rate in 2025 (Journal of Laws of 2024, item 1362), the minimum wage in 2025 will increase only once. Let us recall that in 2023-2024 the minimum wage increased twice a year, which was related to high inflation. From January 1, 2023, the minimum wage was PLN 3,490, and from July 1 – PLN 3,600 gross. At the beginning of this year, the lowest national allowance increased to PLN 4,242 gross, and in July it was raised to the above-mentioned PLN 4,300 gross.

Government estimates show that the number of people affected by the minimum wage increase is over 3.2 million people.

As Onet.pl notes, the minimum wage is not just a basic salary. This is the employee’s total income for the nominal working time in a given month. Therefore, in addition to the basic salary, it also includes other remuneration components and employee benefits. However, when determining the minimum wage, the internship allowance, overtime allowance, jubilee bonus, retirement and disability severance pay and night work allowance are not included.

Poles do not want the regionalization of the minimum wage

From time to time, the Polish public debate returns to the discussion on the introduction of regionalization of the minimum wage. Supporters of this solution point out that there is too much variation in the costs of living and wages within voivodeships. In their opinion, regionalization would contribute, among others, to: to reducing unemployment in the poorest regions of the country, or stimulating entrepreneurship in poorer regions. Meanwhile, according to a survey conducted by the SW Research agency for “Wprost” in early August, Poles are skeptical about this concept. When asked: “Should the minimum wage in Poland depend on the region?” as much as 66.1 percent respondents answered “no”. Only 21 percent said “yes”. respondents, and less than 13 percent has no opinion on this matter.