Before the weekend, the first reading of the parliamentary bill amending the act on public holidays and certain other acts took place in the Sejm. This project concerns the establishment of December 24, i.e. Christmas Eve, as a day off. The act was referred to committees for work.
The project introducing Christmas Eve as a day off from work was referred to the Economy and Development and Social Policy and Family Committees.
Christmas Eve free from work – draft bill in the Sejm
During the vote on November 8, there was a request to proceed to the second reading without referring the bill to the committee. 213 MPs were in favor of this option (including all MPs from Law and Justice and the Left), 235 MPs were against (including almost all MPs from the Civic Coalition). In the next vote, it was decided that the project would be dealt with by the two committees mentioned above.
Despite this, Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk hopes that the bill will be processed quickly.
– Since we submitted the draft bill on Christmas Eve, voices of support have been coming from all over Poland. The largest trade unions in the country supported the project. The idea has huge public support, the vast majority of Polish men and women support it. There is a chance that Christmas Eve will be free this year – it depends on us in this room. We can do the work today so that Poles do not have to work on Christmas Eve. We have a chance to ensure that Polish employees enjoy a day off on Christmas Eve soon, on December 24, 2024. – said Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk.
Christmas Eve off from work? Yes, but on one condition
There are voices that, for example, Epiphany should become a working day again, if Christmas Eve is to be a day off from work.
As indicated by the National Federation of Entrepreneurs and Employers Przedsiębiorcy.pl in an opinion sent to the Speaker of the Sejm, although the project enjoys the support of employees, its introduction may have consequences for various social groups and be harmful to the economy.
This includes industries that record the highest turnover during the holiday season, such as: trade or catering. Workers in these groups, who play a key role in preparing for the world, will face additional workload.
Ultimately, the Federation gives a negative opinion on the project in this version, but proposes a compromise solution that the introduction of a free Christmas Eve would involve the abolition of another statutory day off.
“Therefore, I propose that a discussion take place in Parliament whether, instead of a free Christmas Eve, we should remove January 6 – Epiphany Day or May 1 – from the Act of January 18, 1951 on days off from work. – National Day, which was introduced in 1950. (…)” – we read in the opinion signed by Robert Składowski, president of the National Federation of Entrepreneurs and Employers Przedsiębiorcy.pl.
