Free hot meal at work: when your Polish employer must feed you

Winter is coming, and in Poland that comes with a rule many employees have never heard of. Between 1 November 2026 and 31 March 2027, some workers are entitled to a free hot meal from their boss. Here's how it works.

1. It's for heavy physical work outdoors

The rule covers people doing hard physical work outside. Think construction workers, road crews or people doing earthworks. What counts is the real strain on your body, not just your job title.

2. The calorie threshold decides

During one shift, your energy expenditure has to exceed 1,500 kcal for men or 1,000 kcal for women. Not everyone in these jobs qualifies automatically. The actual tasks and effort matter.

3. The weather doesn't matter

You don't need frost or snow to qualify. If your work is physically demanding and falls between 1 November and 31 March, the meal is due even on a mild day.

4. It has to be a proper meal

The rules describe one hot dish of around 1,000 kcal. A light snack or a small cup of soup won't do. It's usually served at the regular break, often three to four hours into the shift, and only on days when you actually do the qualifying work.

5. No cash instead

Your employer can't simply pay you the money. If hot meals really can't be organised, they can hand out food to prepare yourself, or vouchers and coupons for buying a suitable meal. This should only happen in justified cases.

6. Hot drinks are a separate right

When you work outdoors and it's below 10°C or above 25°C, your employer must provide drinks. In the cold they should be hot, such as tea, and available throughout your work. This doesn't depend on calories, so lighter outdoor jobs are covered too.

7. Some people qualify all year

Year-round entitlement applies if your energy expenditure per shift exceeds 2,000 kcal (men) or 1,100 kcal (women). It also covers underground work, disaster clean-up and special microclimate conditions.

8. Skipping it can cost the company up to 30,000 zloty

Breaking these health and safety rules can bring a fine of 1,000 to 30,000 zloty. The National Labour Inspectorate (PIP, Poland's workplace watchdog) checks compliance, and you can file a complaint with it. Employers decide who gets meals together with the trade union or, if there isn't one, after consulting employee representatives.

So if you work hard outside this winter, it's worth checking what your employer owes you.