The labour Inspection will knock on your house. See if you gotta let the controller in

The year 2025 brings a real revolution for millions of Poles working remotely. What seemed to be only a theoretical anticipation until late becomes a fact – the State Labour Inspection (PIP) gained the power to carry out checks at the employee's place of residence. This amendment, introduced in the framework of the amendment of the Labour Code, raises an avalanche of questions and concerns. Can the inspector enter our flat unannounced? What precisely is he going to check? And most importantly – do we have the right to refuse specified a visit? These changes are not aimed at surveillance, but at standardisation of wellness and safety at work (Health and Safety) conditions, which have so far been frequently overlooked in home offices. For many employees, it is simply a signal that distant work is treated by the legislator on an equal footing with fixed work, which brings both fresh responsibilities and rights. This article explains in item how to prepare for fresh realities and what they mean for your regular work from home.

Why the change? fresh provisions in the Labour Code for 2025

PIP privileges didn't come out of nowhere. They are a direct consequence of establishing distant work as a permanent part of the labour marketplace after the pandemic. The legislator noted that the existing government did not adhere to a fresh reality in which the home office became the primary place for many to execute duties. The main intent of the amendment of the Labour Code, which entered into force in 2025, is to providing distant workers with the same level of safety and safety protectionthe kind of people who work in the office. It is the employer's work to guarantee safe and hygienic working conditions, regardless of its location.

In practice, this means that the employer is liable for assessing the occupational hazard at a distant work station and informing the individual about it. PIP control is to be a verification tool to guarantee that these obligations are decently fulfilled. So it is not about punishing workers for disorder, but about checking whether their employer has equipped them with the right equipment and knowledge, so that their home workplace does not endanger their wellness – for example, through attitudes flaws caused by non-ergonomic chair or sight problems from a poorly-set monitor.

When can the inspector knock on the door? Control conditions

The top fear of workers is the imagination of unannounced control affecting the privacy of the home fire. The law clearly clarifies this issue, protecting home mir. Inspector PIP He can't come to our home without prior agreement.. The procedure is clearly defined and requires respective steps:

• Workers' consent: Inspection at the place of residence may take place only with the prior written consent of the staff member. Without her, a visit is impossible.
• Date: The time and approximate hours of checks must be agreed with both the worker and the employer. There's no specified thing as surprise visits.
• Limited scope: Inspector has the right to check only designated distant work site (e.g. a desk room). There is no authority to enter another rooms in the home or apartment.
• Purpose of the visit: Control must be carried out in a manner which does not prejudice the privacy of the worker and his family. Its aim is to measure wellness and safety conditions, not private life.

It is worth noting that an worker may be the initiator of the inspection if he considers that the employer does not supply him with the right conditions. However, checks will most frequently be the consequence of planned PIP actions or complaints concerning a peculiar employer.

What precisely will the PIP controller check? Control list for distant workers

Knowing that control is possible, it is worth preparing your workplace. Inspectors will focus on respective key areas that have a direct impact on wellness and safety. Here is what you should pay peculiar attention to:

1. Ergonomics of the workplace: That's the absolute basis. The inspector shall assess:

• Chair: Whether it is an office chair with tallness adjustment, backrest and armrests, providing appropriate support for the spine.
• Desk: Whether its tallness allows the hands to be placed freely and the right angle to be kept in the elbows.
• Monitor: Whether its advanced edge is on the line of sight, preventing the neck from straining. erstwhile working on a laptop, an additional monitor or stand will be key.

2. Lighting: The controller shall verify that the position is adequately illuminated, both daylight and artificial, and that the computer screen is set sideways to the window to avoid blinding reflexes.

3. Safety of electrical installation: The inspector will pay attention to the state of the wires, sockets and power strips. Confused, damaged cables or overloaded sockets will be a informing signal.

4. Organisation of space: Although no 1 will measure the order on the desk, it is crucial that freedom of movement and the deficiency of possible threats specified as ducts on the way to the door are ensured around the workplace.

Rights and duties of the employee. Can you refuse control?

The answer to that question is complex. By law, The worker has all right to refuse to let the inspector into his home.Because it is his private space protected constitutionally. The refusal shall not entail any financial punishment or PIP mandate for the employee.

However, specified a decision may have different consequences. The refusal to carry out checks prevents the employer from fulfilling his statutory work to verify the wellness and safety conditions. In specified a situation the employer, incapable to confirm that the workplace is safe, may revoke consent to carry out distant work And call the worker back to the office. So, in practice, although refusal is legal, it could mean the end of work from home. Therefore, it is in the interests of the individual who wants to proceed his distant work to cooperate with both the employer and the inspection.

Remote work in a fresh reality – what does it mean for us?

The fresh powers of the State Labour Inspection are a sign of times and proof that distant work has permanently entered the scenery of the Polish labour market. alternatively of seeing these changes as a threat to privacy, it is worth looking at them as an chance to improve standards and professionalize home offices. For employees, it is simply a signal that their wellness and safety are equally important, regardless of where they work. The key to stress-free transition through these changes is awareness of their rights, obligations and proactive care for the ergonomics of their position. Finally, a well-organised and safe workplace is an investment in its own wellness and efficiency for years.