From 2026, Poland’s “length of service” (staż pracy used for employee entitlements) can include not only employment contracts (umowa o pracę), but also periods worked under civil-law contracts like umowa zlecenia and running a sole proprietorship (JDG) — even if those periods were years ago.
1) When it starts applying to you (two dates)
It depends on your employer category:
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01 Jan 2026 — for public finance sector employers
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01 May 2026 — for all other employers, including private companies
2) Why you need a ZUS certificate
To officially add zlecenie/JDG periods to your seniority, your employer needs proof from ZUS in the form of an official certificate (zaświadczenie).
This matters because seniority affects, for example:
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annual leave (after 10 years — 26 days),
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notice periods,
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other seniority-based rights.
3) How to get it (USP online application)
ZUS provides a dedicated e-service: USP — an application to issue an insurance certificate for adding periods to seniority.
Steps:
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Log in to eZUS / PUE ZUS.
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Find the service USP (usually easiest via search inside the portal).
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Verify details and submit the application.
Note: the USP application is submitted only electronically via eZUS.
4) How you receive the certificate
ZUS delivers it to your eZUS account (download it there and forward it to your employer/HR).
5) What to do next
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Download the certificate from eZUS,
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send it to HR/payroll,
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if needed, file a request with your employer to recalculate seniority (especially relevant in the public sector from 01 Jan 2026).
6) Common mistakes
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Looking for a “paper form at ZUS” instead of eZUS → USP is online-only.
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Expecting January recalculation in a private company → most private employers apply it from 01 May 2026.
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Assuming ZUS will confirm “everything” → ZUS confirms what exists in its insurance records.
Official sources: GOV.PL (2026 change overview), GOV.PL (USP step-by-step), ZUS (dates + USP), GOV.PL (Q&A).
