Occupational Health Check for Temp Workers in Poland: What, Where and When

Every worker legally employed in Poland — regardless of contract type or whether they are placed through a temporary staffing agency — is required to undergo an occupational health examination before starting work. This is a legal obligation under the Polish Labour Code, and without a valid medical certificate your employer cannot lawfully allow you to begin work.

Which Medical Examinations Are Mandatory?

Polish labour law provides for three types of occupational health examinations:

• Pre-employment (wstępne) — required before starting work in any new position (mandatory for every new employee)
• Periodic (okresowe) — carried out at regular intervals (typically every 1–3 years depending on the role)
• Post-sick-leave (kontrolne) — required after sick leave lasting more than 30 consecutive days, before returning to work

During the pre-employment examination, the occupational health physician assesses whether the worker is fit to perform the duties of the specific role, taking into account the working conditions and hazards described in the referral.

Who Issues the Referral?

The referral is issued by the employer or — in the case of a temporary staffing agency — by the agency itself. The referral includes:

• the job title and position
• a description of working conditions (physical labour, working at height, operating machinery, noise exposure, etc.)
• the type of examination (pre-employment / periodic / post-sick-leave)

Nexflow issues referrals to its workers before every new placement. You do not need to arrange the clinic yourself — the agency will provide you with the address and appointment details.

Where Are Examinations Carried Out?

Occupational health examinations must be carried out at occupational medicine clinics or by physicians holding the required specialist qualifications. A GP or family doctor cannot issue a certificate for employment purposes — only a qualified occupational health physician can do so.

Nexflow works with a network of clinics in the regions where we employ workers. We will give you the address and opening hours of the relevant clinic together with your referral.

Who Pays for the Examination?

Under the Polish Labour Code, the cost of occupational health examinations is borne by the employer (or the staffing agency). Workers do not pay out of pocket for pre-employment, periodic, or post-sick-leave examinations.

Important: If anyone asks you to pay for a medical examination before being placed in work through an agency — that is an improper practice. Report it to Nexflow or to the National Labour Inspectorate (Państwowa Inspekcja Pracy — PIP).

What Does the Medical Certificate Contain?

After the examination, the physician issues a medical certificate (orzeczenie lekarskie) stating that the worker has no health contraindications to performing work in the specified role. The document includes:

• the worker's full name
• the job title
• a finding of no contraindications (or the opposite, if applicable)
• the date of the next required examination (where relevant)

The original certificate is provided to the employer; the worker keeps a copy for their own records.

Are Certificates from a Previous Employer Valid?

As a general rule — no. Every change of employer or role requires a new pre-employment examination. An exception may apply if:

• the previous certificate is still within its validity period and
• the working conditions at the new position are identical to those at the previous one and
• the new employer explicitly agrees to accept the existing certificate

In practice, staffing agencies typically arrange a new examination each time a worker moves to a different workplace to avoid any ambiguity.

What Happens If You Don't Have a Valid Certificate?

Allowing a worker to start work without a valid occupational health certificate is a regulatory offence and can result in a fine for the employer. A worker without an up-to-date certificate cannot legally perform work — and in the event of a workplace accident, the absence of a valid certificate may affect entitlement to compensation.

Summary

Occupational health examinations are mandatory, free of charge for the worker, and arranged by the agency or employer. Nexflow provides its workers with referrals, directs them to the appropriate clinic, and tracks deadlines so you can start work safely and on time.

Have questions about medical checks or other employment documents? Get in touch with our team — we're here to help.