A rights violation rarely looks like outright fraud. More often it's “small stuff”: overtime not counted, pay delayed by two weeks, no contract given because “we're still processing it.” Each one costs you money — and each has a concrete fix.
Most common violations
- No written contract. A contract must be signed before you start working. “Work a week first, we'll sort the paperwork after” is already a violation.
- Overtime isn't paid. Work beyond the standard hours earns +50% on weekdays and +100% on Sundays and holidays; night work carries a separate premium.
- No ZUS registration. You can check this yourself — via ZUS PUE or the mObywatel app.
- Delayed pay. Salary is due monthly, by the 10th of the following month.
- Passport confiscated. No one has the right to hold your documents. That's not “processing” — it's leverage.
What to do, in order
- Document it. Keep your own hours log, save messages, contracts, receipts, photos of schedules. A complaint without evidence is weak.
- A written demand to the employer. This is often enough: many violations survive only because the person doesn't know their rights.
- A complaint to PIP (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy) — the state labor inspectorate that handles exactly these cases.
- Police (112 / 997) — if someone demands money from you, threatens you, or holds your documents.
Important: filing with PIP doesn't require perfect Polish — you can bring an interpreter or file the complaint in writing. Your legal status won't be affected.
Best defence is at the start
Most problems never happen at all if you check three things at the start: is there a written contract, who exactly the employer is, and whether anyone is asking you for money. Honest people don't charge for job placement — that single rule protects you from most scams.
