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Decyzja from the urząd pracy (labour office decision): what it means and what to do

By when14 days from delivery to appeal

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In short

A decyzja from the powiatowy urząd pracy (district labour office) is a formal decision on your case: it can remove you from the unemployment register, refuse you benefit or registration, or order you to repay money. If you disagree, you have 14 days from delivery to file an odwołanie (appeal) addressed to the wojewoda but handed in at the labour office; the delivery day does not count, and a deadline ending on a weekend or public holiday moves to the next working day. The analfabeta.pl service explains the decision in plain language and counts the appeal deadline for you.

What this letter is

A "decyzja" is a formal decision of the powiatowy urząd pracy (PUP, the district labour office) on your case. It is not an invitation or an information letter: it changes your legal situation. Among other things, the labour office decides on:

  • recognising you as bezrobotny (registered unemployed) or refusing to register you,
  • granting or refusing the zasiłek dla bezrobotnych (unemployment benefit),
  • removing you from the register (wykreślenie z ewidencji), so you lose your status,
  • ordering you to repay a nienależnie pobrane świadczenie, money the office says you had no right to.

Every decision has a reference number, a date, a justification and a "pouczenie", the notice telling you how and where to appeal. That notice is the most important part of the letter, usually in the smallest font, at the end.

Why people receive it

The most common situations:

  • You did not keep in touch with the office. Since 1 June 2025 it is up to you to contact the office at least once every 90 days (in person, by phone or online, as agreed with your adviser). If you do not, you are removed from the register.
  • After a referral you did not start, or abandoned through your own fault, an internship, a training course or another form of support, or you refused to take part in an individual action plan (indywidualny plan działania). Same result: removal. Simply turning down a job offer is no longer a ground for removal since June 2025.
  • You started a job, a contract or a business and did not report it in time (you have 7 days). Then the office not only removes you but may order you to repay the benefit as unduly received.
  • You applied for the benefit but do not have the required period of employment or contributions, so the office refuses.
  • You tried to register but documents were missing or you did not meet the conditions (for example you work under a contract, run a business or receive a pension).

Foreigners often get refusals because their residence status gives no right to register, or because earlier employment could not be documented. That does not mean the office is right: a decision can be challenged.

Typical deadlines

You have 14 days from delivery to file an odwołanie (appeal). Check the pouczenie, but this is the standard.

How to count:

  • The day of delivery does not count. You collected the decision on a Friday? Day one is Saturday and 14 days end on the Friday two weeks later.
  • If the last day is a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline moves to the next working day.
  • An uncollected registered letter counts as delivered after the second awizo (notice), 14 days after the first delivery attempt. Your 14 days to appeal run from then, even if the envelope is still at the post office.
  • If the decision orders repayment, the money is due within the period stated in the decision, usually 30 days from its delivery (as of 2026-08). If you appeal in time, the decision is not enforced until the wojewoda decides the appeal.
  • An appeal sent by post is on time if you post it at Poczta Polska by the last day. Keep the receipt.

What happens if you ignore it

The decision becomes final. Concretely:

  • With removal from the register you lose public health insurance (ubezpieczenie zdrowotne in the NFZ), and so do family members you insured through your status. A doctor's visit or a hospital stay may then cost money.
  • You can register again, but often only after a waiting period: 90 days if you were removed for losing contact with the office or for not starting or abandoning a form of support (as of 2026-08, check the current rules and your pouczenie).
  • If the decision is about repayment, unpaid money becomes a debt the office can enforce, for example from your bank account or wages.
  • A refusal of benefit or registration that you did not appeal closes the door to money for that period.

What to do now

  1. Find the delivery date and count 14 days. Put the last day in your phone.
  2. Read the justification. The office must state the facts and the legal basis. Check whether the facts are right: the date of your last contact, the date you started work, your documents.
  3. If you disagree, write an appeal. Address it to the wojewoda (voivode), but file it at the labour office that issued the decision; the office forwards it. The appeal must be in Polish and needs only: your details, the decision's reference number, the sentence "odwołuję się od decyzji" (I appeal against the decision), your reasons and a signature. Attach evidence: a sick note, a ticket, a certificate from your employer.
  4. If the decision is correct but you want to get back on the register, ask the office when you can re-register and arrange health insurance for the gap (voluntary NFZ insurance, or registration through a working spouse).
  5. If you have to return money and cannot pay it at once, apply for instalments (rozłożenie na raty) or a waiver (umorzenie). The office considers such requests, but only if you ask.
  6. Keep a copy of everything you file, with proof of filing.

How analfabeta.pl helps

Paste the text of the decision or photograph it. You get the verdict in your language: what kind of decision it is, what it means for your insurance and your money, and the last day to appeal. If you want, you can order a paid appeal in Polish, with a mirror translation so you know what you sign, as a PDF ready to file.

Frequently asked questions

What is a decyzja from the urząd pracy and why did I get one?

A decyzja is a formal decision of the powiatowy urząd pracy (PUP, district labour office) that changes your legal situation: it recognises you as bezrobotny (registered unemployed) or refuses registration, grants or refuses the zasiłek dla bezrobotnych (unemployment benefit), removes you from the register (wykreślenie z ewidencji) or orders you to repay a benefit you allegedly had no right to. Common triggers are not contacting the office at least once every 90 days, not starting or abandoning a referred internship, course or other support, or starting work without reporting it within 7 days. It always contains a justification and a pouczenie, the notice on how and where to appeal, usually in small print at the end.

How many days do I have to appeal a labour office decision in Poland, and from when?

14 days from delivery; check the pouczenie, but this is the standard in labour office cases. The day of delivery does not count: if you collected the decision on a Friday, day one is Saturday and the 14 days end on the Friday two weeks later. If the last day falls on a Saturday, Sunday or public holiday, the deadline moves to the next working day. An appeal sent by post is on time if you hand it in at Poczta Polska by the last day; keep the receipt.

What happens if I ignore the decision removing me from the register?

It becomes final. You lose public health insurance in the NFZ, and so do family members insured through your status, so a doctor's visit or hospital stay may cost money. You can register again, but after removal for losing contact with the office or for not starting or abandoning a form of support there is usually a 90-day waiting period (as of 2026-08, check your pouczenie). If the decision orders repayment, unpaid money becomes a debt the office can enforce, for example from your bank account or wages.

I did not collect the registered letter from the urząd pracy. Does the 14-day period still run?

Yes. An uncollected registered letter counts as delivered after the second awizo (notice), 14 days after the first delivery attempt, and your 14 days to appeal run from that day even if the envelope is still at the post office. If you see an awizo from the labour office, collect the letter as soon as possible, because the later you do, the less time you have left to appeal.

Can I write the appeal in English, and where do I file it?

The appeal must be in Polish. Address it to the wojewoda (voivode) but file it at the labour office that issued the decision; the office forwards it. It needs only your details, the decision's reference number, the sentence "odwołuję się od decyzji" (I appeal against the decision), your reasons and a signature, plus evidence such as a sick note, a ticket or a certificate from your employer. Keep a copy with proof of filing; if you appeal in time, the decision is not enforced until the wojewoda rules on it.

Does a labour office decision affect my karta pobytu or health insurance?

The decision comes from the labour office, not the immigration authorities, and it concerns your registration, benefit or repayment, not your residence permit as such. What changes immediately is health insurance: removal from the register ends your NFZ cover, and health insurance is often among the documents required in residence-card cases, so arrange cover for the gap (voluntary NFZ insurance or registration through a working spouse). Foreigners are often refused registration because their residence status gives no right to it or earlier employment cannot be documented; that does not mean the office is right, and the refusal can be appealed within 14 days.