In connection with the announcement of the state of the epidemic in Poland, the Polish government has prepared a package of solutions that are aimed at mitigating the effects of the coronavirus. The Act of March 31, 2020 amending the Act on specific solutions related to the prevention and eradication of COVID-19, other infectious diseases and crisis situations caused by them (link to the legal act) introduces crucial regulations from the litigation point of view, namely regulations aiming to suspend for the time of the coronavirus epidemy in Poland the deadlines resulting from the administrative law, for example the period of prescription as well as the procedural and court deadlines. During the coronavirus epidemy in Poland the time periods that already started to run, are suspended for the time of epidemy, and the time periods which have not yet begun – will start running when the epidemy is officially cancelled in Poland. 

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The Polish President has approved of the new regulations created to combat the negative economic effects of COVID-19 in Poland. The new law has entered into force on 1 April 2020. The newly adopted regulations provide support for the Polish economy, enterprises, employers and employees.
The legal sources of the Polish ” anti-crisis shield against COVID-19 effects” are:
1) the Act of March 31, 2020 amending the Act on specific solutions related to the prevention and eradication of COVID-19, other infectious diseases and crisis situations caused by them, as well as some other acts;

2) the Act of March 31, 2020 amending certain acts regarding the health care system related to the prevention, counteracting and combating COVID-19;
3) the Act of 31 March 2020 amending the Act on the system of development institutions.

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In connection with the prevailing coronavirus pandemic, a package of legal changes is being prepared in Poland to facilitate the functioning of companies during coronavirus pandemic. So far in Poland the legal changes caused by COVID-19 have been implemented on the basis of the main act of law dated 2 March 2020 on specific solutions related to the prevention and combating COVID-19 effects and crisis situations caused by the latter (the act of law passed by the Polish Parliament and published in the Journal of Laws under item 374, hereinafter “COVID-19 Polish emergency law”). Pursuant to the draft act amending COVID-19 Polish emergency law (that amends more than 30 different Polish acts of law, including the Polish Companies Code), in the new art. 25 there are to be implemented provisions regarding the remote decision-making by corporate bodies.

Remote decision-making in the management boards of companies is allowed unless the companies’ articles of association stipulate otherwise.

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WHO’s announcement that COVID-19 can be characterized as “pandemic” causes that the economic problems of local businesses arising from the epidemic state are global. Simply put, similar legal measures temporarily implemented into the legal environment of all pandemic countries create very similar economic problems and legal challenges for businesses (especially corporations).

In the face of an increasing number of corporate questions from its Clients, KIELTYKA GLADKOWSKI KG Legal is preparing a guide to assistance packages in individual jurisdictions affected by negative effects of coronavirus. As a part of the project, KIELTYKA GLADKOWSKI KG Legal is preparing a chapter devoted to the specific legal solutions in the face of coronavirus epidemy in Poland and the aid measures launched by the Polish government for companies operating in Poland that are affected by the negative effects of coronavirus.

The discussed issues concern, among others, the distribution of aid granted to Poland from the European Union. Poland is the largest beneficiary of the European Union funds earmarked for combating the effects of the coronavirus epidemic and is to receive approximately EUR 7.5 billion.
The report discusses legal and public aid mechanisms for entrepreneurs and employers in Poland. KIELTYKA GLADKOWSKI KG Legal also advises on the application of general principles of Polish law in the case of so-called emergency states, such as the coronavirus pandemic, including labour law, #payment gridlocks, performance of contracts.

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The coronavirus infection in Poland has created considerable legal challenges for a number of sectors.

KIELTYKA GLADKOWSKI KG Legal has developed measures to assist its Clients, entrepreneurs and employers, in order to minimise the negative effects of COVID-19 outbreak.

The Polish authorities have implemented an emergency act of law as of 2 March 2020 (about coronavirus effects and combating them; so called “Coronavirus Act”) which regulates, among others, two crucial issues from the point of entrepreneurs – employers.

Firstly that the employee who has a child younger than 8 years and demonstrates that he or she is forced to exercise personal care over such a child (namely that there is no other parent taking care of the child, no other member of the family or no other caretaker for the child) has the right to apply for carer’s allowance and have additional 14 days off work to look after the child. For the period when the employee stays at home with the child the standard salary is not paid. There is, instead, paid the carer’s allowance which amounts to 80% of the remuneration. The carer’s allowance is paid from the funds of the Polish Social Insurance Fund. If the employer has registered more than 20 employees, it is standard that the employer makes the payment to the employee and then applies to the Social Insurance Fund for compensation.

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