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A notice of termination is the letter by which the employer ends the employment relationship subject to a notice period; termination without notice (summary dismissal) takes effect immediately. For contracts of indefinite duration the employer must state the reason, and the letter should instruct you about your right to appeal to the labour court. Defects in the letter or the reason can be grounds for a successful appeal.
21 daysfrom the day the letter is delivered
An appeal to the labour court must be filed within 21 days of the day the termination letter is delivered (Art. 264 § 1 of the Labour Code). The same 21-day deadline applies to claims for reinstatement or compensation after termination without notice.
Legal basis: art. 264 § 1 Kodeksu pracy
The deadline runs from the day the letter is delivered (received) — the delivery day itself does not count. Verify the delivery date with a lawyer: whether you make the deadline depends on it.
After 21 days you generally lose the ability to challenge the termination in court — even if it was defective or groundless. The deadline can be restored only exceptionally, where you missed it through no fault of your own. Regardless of the appeal, make sure you receive your employment certificate and outstanding leave settlement.
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For an indefinite-duration contract: a declaration that the termination is ineffective, reinstatement, or compensation. The choice of claim depends among other things on the contract type and the defects of the letter — discuss it with a lawyer.
No. The termination is effective the moment you were able to read its content — refusing to sign stops neither the effect nor the running of the 21-day appeal deadline.
An employee filing the appeal is, as a rule, exempt from court fees in cases with a value in dispute up to PLN 50,000. Time is key — the 21-day deadline is short and runs from delivery of the letter.
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