How do you prepare a demand for payment of outstanding wages?

Who this applies to

This guide is for employees on an employment contract (umowa o pracę) whose employer has not paid their wages by the deadline in Article 85 of the Labour Code (Kodeks pracy). You can demand payment of other benefits arising from the employment relationship in the same way, for example payment in lieu of unused leave or an overtime allowance.

The general plan of action when your employer does not pay is described in the guide Your employer did not pay your wages on time. What can you do?

What to do

1. Establish what is outstanding and since when. Check the pay date in your contract or the rules. Monthly wages must be paid no later than the 10th day of the following month (Article 85 § 2 of the Labour Code). The delay starts on the day after this deadline.
2. Prepare the letter. The quickest way is the demand for payment generator. The demand should contain:
   • place and date,
   • your first name, surname and address,
   • the name and address of the employer,
   • the basis: the employment contract with the date it was concluded,
   • the period for which wages were not paid and the amount outstanding,
   • the pay date that has passed,
   • a demand for payment by a specified deadline to the account given,
   • a demand for statutory interest for late payment from the day after the pay date until the day of payment,
   • information on what you will do if the employer does not pay (e.g. a complaint to the PIP, a claim in the labour court),
   • your handwritten signature.
3. Set a payment deadline. No provision specifies how many days the employer should have. It is your choice. The deadline should be specific, e.g. "7 days from service of the demand" or a specific date.
4. Serve the demand in a way that gives you proof. You can choose:
   • a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt; keep a copy of the letter, the proof of posting and the return receipt,
   • in person, with confirmation of receipt (date, signature, stamp) on your copy,
   • e-Doręczenia, if the employer has an e-Doręczenia address entered in the Electronic Address Database (Baza Adresów Elektronicznych). According to gov.pl, correspondence that does not involve a public entity is subject to a charge.

   An ordinary e-mail or a message on a messaging app may be an additional trace, but it is harder to use them to prove that the employer received the letter and when.

5. Wait for the deadline to pass and take further action. If the employer does not pay, you can file a complaint to the PIP (National Labour Inspectorate, Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy) or a claim with the labour court. Where to take which matter is described in the guide PIP, ZUS or labour court: who should you turn to with a problem at work?

Exceptions and caveats

Is a demand mandatory? There is no provision requiring a demand for payment before a court claim for wages. However, the claim must contain information on whether the parties attempted mediation or another out-of-court settlement of the dispute and, if not, why not (Article 187 § 1(3) of the Code of Civil Procedure (KPC)). A demand helps to show this.

Interest is due without a demand. If the employer is late with payment, you can claim interest even if you have not suffered any damage (Article 481 § 1 of the Civil Code (KC), applied in labour law through Article 300 of the Labour Code). The rate is the National Bank of Poland (NBP) reference rate plus 5.5 percentage points (Article 481 § 2 KC). The Minister of Justice announces it in the Monitor Polski official journal. From 5 March 2026, the rate is 9.25% per year (M.P. 2026 item 367). As of the date of checking, 15.10.2026, there was no newer announcement in the ELI register. If the rate changes during the delay, each period is calculated separately at the rate in force in that period.

A demand does not interrupt the limitation period. Claims arising from an employment relationship become time-barred 3 years after they fall due (Article 291 § 1 of the Labour Code). The limitation period is interrupted by an action before a court or another body competent to settle disputes, or by the employer acknowledging the claim (Article 295 § 1 of the Labour Code). The provision does not mention a demand for payment. If, in reply to the demand, the employer admits in writing that it owes you money, keep that letter.

Gross or net. State the amount and the component of remuneration as they result from the contract or the rules (e.g. "basic salary for August 2026 in the amount specified in the contract"). If you are not sure how to state the amount, describe precisely what you are claiming and for what period.

Example

Assumptions: the arrears are PLN 4,000. The pay date passed on 10 September 2026. The employer pays on 15 October 2026. A single interest rate applies throughout: 9.25% per year. We calculate interest from 11 September to 15 October 2026 inclusive, that is for 35 days (20 days in September and 15 in October). We assume a 365-day year.

Formula: interest = amount × annual rate × number of days / 365

Calculation: PLN 4,000 × 0.0925 × 35 / 365 = PLN 35.48 (rounded to the nearest grosz).

This is a simplification with a single rate. If the rate changes during the period of delay, divide the period into parts, calculate the interest for each part at its rate and add up the results. The way of counting days (from the day after the deadline to the day of payment) is an assumption of the example, not a quotation from a provision.

Documents and deadlines

Frequently asked questions

Can I send the demand by e-mail?

You can, but it is harder to prove delivery. It is safer to send a registered letter with acknowledgement of receipt or to deliver the letter in person and get confirmation on your copy.

What if the employer pays only the salary without interest?

You can claim the interest separately, including in a claim before the labour court. For small amounts, consider whether such a dispute is worth it.

After sending a demand, do I have to wait before filing a claim or a complaint?

There is no provision requiring this. However, if you have set a payment deadline, it is usually worth waiting until it expires.

Useful tools

• Unpaid wages demand generator

Related guides

• Your employer did not pay your wages on time. What can you do?
• How do you file a complaint to the National Labour Inspectorate?
• PIP, ZUS or labour court: who should you turn to with a problem at work?

Sources (documents in Polish)

• Kodeks pracy, tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 1245 (art. 85, 291, 295, 300)
• Kodeks cywilny, tekst ujednolicony ISAP (art. 481)
• Obwieszczenie MS z 8.04.2026 o odsetkach ustawowych za opóźnienie, M.P. 2026 poz. 367
• Wyszukiwarka obwieszczeń w Monitorze Polskim (ELI)
• Kodeks postępowania cywilnego, tekst jednolity Dz.U. 2026 poz. 468 (art. 187)
• e-Doręczenia: pytania i odpowiedzi (gov.pl)

Sources checked on 15 October 2026. Law as at 15 October 2026.

Change history

• 15 October 2026: First publication.