Meeting with the president: Andrzej Duda invited to the Presidential Palace employees and employers for social consultations regarding the amendment to the Act, which assumes that Christmas Eve is supposed to be a day off from work. Opening the meeting, the president emphasized that initially he was also in favor of this.
The president points out the flaws: Andrzej Duda added that he had heard positive opinions about this change, including: when making purchases in stores. However, as he said, after the parliamentary amendments were introduced, these opinions changed, because the act in its final form is no longer so favorable for employees. He pointed out that despite introduction of a free Christmas Evethe three Sundays preceding the holiday are to be working days. He regretted that no public consultations on such a socially important issue were held before the final form of the act was adopted.
“Some suspension”: Andrzej Duda added that on Christmas Eve people employed in trade they usually worked shorter hours, and now, working in exchange for Christmas Eve off on an additional Sunday, they will have to work as usual. – It is simply not profitable for us and we feel a bit cheated – this is how the president quoted his interlocutors working in trade to support his words. – This situation has actually changed, to put it mildly, and my attitude towards it has become somewhat suspended – he emphasized Andrzej Duda.
Free Christmas Eve: The Sejm adopted the amendment with the Senate's amendments Act on non-working days December 6. The 24th would be a non-working day from 2025. The amendment states, among other things, that Christmas Eve will be preceded by three trading Sundays, and a sales employee will not be able to work more than two Sundays in December. The bill now awaits president's signature.
See also: Free Christmas Eve adopted by the Sejm. More on this subject in the text entitled “Free Christmas Eve has returned to the Sejm. We know the final decision of the MPs. There is a change”.
Source: IAR, president.pl.