To work or not to work? Poland Splits Over Proposed Hot-Weather Labor Ban
The decisive factor will be the temperature. But what temperature? No one knows yet. The final decision rests with the Polish Prime Minister.
On June 28, the official measurement network of the Polish Institute of Meteorology near the German border recorded 40.5°C (104.5°F). This is a new June temperature record in Poland and the highest temperature in the history of post-war instrumental measurements in the country.
During the recent heatwave, the Polish Ministry of Labor decided to resubmit the draft amendments to the Labor Code to the Standing Committee of the Council of Ministers. These include provisions on suspending work in public and office spaces due to high temperatures.
Current Polish law does not require this. It only states that when temperatures exceed 28°C in offices and 25°C outside, employers are obligated to provide free cold drinks to manual workers. The decision to take a break or shorten the workday depends on the employer's goodwill.
In its proposed third revision, starting in 2024, the Ministry of Labor predicts that when outdoor temperatures exceed 32°C and indoor temperatures exceed 35°C, employees will be excused from work.
And things heated up
"We have reports of fainting and deaths," said Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, Poland's Minister of Labor.
The most controversial issue is the proposed temperature limit at which employees would be legally allowed to leave the workplace.
"If we set a fixed temperature, imagine what industries like construction and others related to public and private investments would look like under current conditions. It may turn out that these industries will not be closed for a week or two, but even for three months a year," said Piotr Rogowiecki of Employers of Poland.
Construction, agriculture, transport and logistics, and some industrial sectors are the industries facing the highest risk.
However, trade union lawyers are pushing for a fixed temperature limit, above which work will be suspended. They believe that the lack of such clear regulations could make workers feel at risk , but they will not know how to defend their rights.
Due to concerns raised by other ministries, the bill was submitted directly to Prime Minister Donald Tusk. He has not yet made a final decision. However, if he approves the changes, they will not come into effect until 2027.
Heatwaves Hit the Polish Economy
According to the report "Resilient and Strong Poland" prepared by the Climate & Strategy Foundation, Poland's losses due to climate change have reached €20.1 billion since 1980.
Of this figure, €4 billion was incurred in the last three years covered by the study.
It is estimated that approximately 19% of this amount is the direct result of heatwaves. This is the fifth-highest figure in the European Union.
## The heat is coming
It's been colder in Poland for several days now. But the latest forecasts indicate that another heatwave could reach the country from Southern Europe as early as the second week of July. In some places, thermometers will once again show 35-40 °C.