Maternity policy

Goal 4 of the University of Warsaw’s Gender Equality Plan focuses on creating conditions that facilitate the reconciliation of research, teaching, and administrative work with family commitments. It addresses the needs of both mothers and fathers, so that the academic community can pursue careers without having to sacrifice family life.

The actions include both institutional solutions and initiatives implemented at the faculty and unit level, such as access to childcare facilities, flexible working hours, mentoring programs, and training to support the balance of family and professional responsibilities.

Main Actions
1. Systemic Support for Parents

• Establishing a Team for Parental Support and Parenting Issues, which provides information, identifies appropriate support institutions, and manages an email inbox for questions.
• Developing and regularly updating a Guide for Parents and Guardians, which includes information on available benefits, flexible work arrangements, and care options.
• Disseminating information about available support options through information campaigns.

2. Development of care infrastructure

• Development of plans for the creation of new childcare facilities (nurseries, preschools, daycare/ad hoc) at the Ochota Campus, Śródmieście.
• Mapping and disseminating information about parent-friendly spaces (e.g., breastfeeding rooms, childcare spaces).

3. Work flexibility

• Home office and flexible work hours.
• Unification of remote work policies and the introduction of individual work schedules for individuals with family responsibilities.
• Recommendations regarding meeting times for Scientific, Teaching, and Faculty Councils during holidays and vacations.

4. Training and psychological support

• Training for parents and caregivers of dependents, covering legal, psychological, and practical aspects.
• Workshops for men on mental health and work-life balance.
• Mentoring programs for those returning to work after parental leave.

5. Grants and Financial Support for Returns

• Competitions and grants supporting return to academic activity after a break related to childcare.
• Analysis and update of the Company Social Benefits Fund (ZFŚS) system, including subsidies for nurseries, preschools, and sports cards for children.

Examples of solutions for mothers: programs facilitating the return to work after maternity leave, mentoring for women, flexible working hours, grants supporting the return to research after a break related to raising a child.

The new, Inclusive Gender Equality Plan continues the activities of Goal 4, expanding them with systemic and institutional solutions. Strengthening and developing these activities is a priority for 2025–2029 and will be developed gradually, based on reports, evaluations, and recommendations from expert teams.

More information about the Inclusive Gender Equality Plan for 2025–2029.

Pregnancy must be confirmed by a medical certificate. The employer is obligated to grant a pregnant employee time off for medical examinations ordered in connection with the pregnancy if these cannot be performed outside of working hours; the employee retains the right to remuneration for the duration of such absence.

Pregnant and breastfeeding women may not perform work that is arduous, hazardous, or harmful to health, which could negatively impact their health, the course of the pregnancy, or breastfeeding.

The scope of such work is specified in the Regulation of the Council of Ministers of April 3, 2017, on the list of arduous, hazardous, or harmful work for pregnant and breastfeeding women, and in Annex 2 to the Work Regulations at the University of Warsaw. The lists include work that involves excessive physical exertion or that may have an adverse effect due to the manner and conditions of its performance, taking into account factors occurring in the work environment and their level of occurrence.

Anyone employing a pregnant or breastfeeding employee to perform strenuous, hazardous, or harmful work is obligated to adapt working conditions to the requirements specified in these regulations or limit working hours to eliminate health or safety hazards. If this is impossible or inappropriate, the employer is obligated to transfer the employee to another job, and if this is not possible, release her from her work obligation for the necessary period.

The same regulations apply to employers if a medical certificate indicates health contraindications to the performance of the current job by a pregnant or breastfeeding employee.

A pregnant employee may not be employed overtime or at night. An employer employing a night employee is obligated to adjust her work schedule during pregnancy so that she performs work outside of night hours or, if this is not possible, transfer her to another job. If this is not possible, the employee should be released from her work obligation for the necessary period.

An employer may not terminate an employment contract during pregnancy, maternity, parental, or paternity leave, or from the date of submission of a request for further leave. This is exceptionally permissible if there are grounds justifying termination without notice due to the employee’s fault (if the employee’s trade union has given consent), or if the employer declares bankruptcy or liquidation.

An employment contract concluded for a fixed term or for a trial period exceeding one month, which would terminate after the third month of pregnancy, is extended until the date of delivery. This rule does not apply to a fixed-term contract concluded to replace an employee during their excused absence.

Although in such a case, the employment relationship ends on the date of delivery, the employee is entitled to maternity benefits for the period corresponding to maternity leave and—if she submits an appropriate application—also for the period corresponding to parental leave.

This is based on the Act of June 26, 1974, the Labor Code, and the Rules of Work at the University of Warsaw.

A breastfeeding employee is entitled to two half-hour breaks from work, which are included in her working time. An employee breastfeeding more than one child is entitled to two 45-minute breaks from work. Employees employed for less than 4 hours per day are not entitled to breastfeeding breaks, and those employed for less than 6 hours per day are entitled to one break.

This is based on the Act of June 26, 1974, the Labor Code, and the Rules of Work at the University of Warsaw.

Every employee who gives birth is entitled to maternity leave, which cannot be waived. This entitlement applies regardless of the type of employment contract.

The length of maternity leave depends on the number of children born and is as follows:

• 20 weeks for the birth of one child at a time,
• 31 weeks for the birth of two children at a time,
• 33 weeks for the birth of three children at a time,
• 35 weeks for the birth of four children at a time,
• 37 weeks for the birth of five or more children at a time.

A maximum of six weeks of maternity leave can be taken before the expected date of delivery. If the employee did not take maternity leave before the birth, it begins on the day of delivery. A week of leave corresponds to seven days counted from the first day of maternity leave.

After giving birth, the employee must take at least 14 weeks of maternity leave. The remaining leave can be waived if: the remaining portion is used by the employee-father raising the child, or the father discontinues his/her gainful employment to provide care. The employee must submit a written request in this matter no less than seven days before starting work, and the employer is obligated to grant it.

Employees on maternity leave, as well as parental leave, paternity leave, and leave under the terms of maternity leave, and during the period after submitting the leave request, enjoy special protection against termination.

After maternity leave, leave on maternity leave terms, parental leave, paternity leave, or parental leave, the employer allows the employee to return to work in their current position. If this is not possible, the employee will be re-employed in a position equivalent to the position held before the leave commences, under conditions no less favorable than those that would have applied had the employee not taken the leave.

For the period of maternity leave, a maternity allowance is payable at 100% of the calculation basis.

This is based on the Act of June 26, 1974, the Labor Code, and the Rules of Work at the University of Warsaw.

Pregnant students are granted leave until the child’s birth, and students who are parents are granted leave for up to one year from the date of application. Students who are parents can apply for leave within one year of the child’s birth. If the end of the leave falls during the semester, the KJD will extend the leave until the end of the semester upon request.

This is based on the the Rules and Regulations of Study at the University of Warsaw