Government · Warsaw
Sejm passes law capping pay and working hours for Polish medics, 229 votes to 144
The Sejm set a maximum gross hourly rate of about 240 zł and limited medics' work to the equivalent of two full-time posts. False sick-leave certificates could now lead to exclusion from the public health system.
In brief
Work by doctors, nurses, midwives, physiotherapists and paramedics may not exceed the equivalent of two full-time posts, and each must hold at least a half-time post.
The gross hourly cap is about 240 zł, one twentieth of the minimum wage, and monthly pay at two posts may not exceed about 76,900 zł.
False L4 certificates or false statements in settlements can lead to exclusion from the public system, with the decision taken by the NFZ president.
Poland's Sejm passed an amended bill on 22 October 2026 that caps the pay and working time of medical staff. The vote was 229 in favour, 144 against and 67 abstentions. The bill is part of a package of changes that health minister Jolanta Sobierańska-Grenda announced in July. The stated aim is to curb overwork among medics and to improve patient safety. The Sejm's vote is the latest recorded step, and the articles do not describe any further stages.
The vote and its backers
The Sejm passed the amendment with changes, and the tally was 229 deputies for, 144 against and 67 abstaining.
- In favour
- 229 deputies
- Against
- 144 deputies
- Abstained
- 67 deputies
Data from the article text
Two-post cap and pay ceilings
Working time for these medical workers may not exceed the equivalent of two full-time posts combined. Each of them must be employed for at least half a post. Taking up work with another healthcare provider requires the consent of the current employer. The hourly gross pay ceiling is one twentieth of the gross minimum wage, about 240 zł. Monthly pay at two full-time posts may not exceed sixteen times the gross minimum wage, about 76,900 zł.
Controls and contract protections
The law widens the inspection powers of the National Health Fund (NFZ). It also expands the competences of the Agency for Health Technology Assessment and Tariffs (AOTMiT). Lawmakers adopted amendments that delete provisions allowing contracts incompatible with the new rules to be terminated without the protections of the Labour Code. Under the revised text, existing contracts that need adjusting cannot be cut short on that basis. The changes are presented as a way to monitor spending and the quality of services more closely.
The 'lex Kacprzyk' provision
An amendment submitted by the Rozwój Plus club, which the reporting calls 'lex Kacprzyk', was included in the bill. Under it, false sick-leave certificates (L4) or false statements in settlements can lead to exclusion from the public health care system. The NFZ president would make that decision where a doctor certifies an untruth about services or procedures in a document used to settle payments with the NFZ. The clause is part of the text the Sejm passed on 22 October 2026.
Opposition criticism
Opposition politicians argue that the law in practice guarantees high pay for certain doctors. PiS MP Rafał Bochenek wrote on X that the law will lengthen queues to doctors and reduce the funds available for health services. His claim concerns the funding side of the law, not the pay caps alone. The articles do not give the government's reply to these claims.