Workers who previously opted out of Poland’s Employee Capital Plans (PPK) could soon be automatically re-enrolled. The country’s four-year auto-enrollment mechanism will be triggered in 2027, putting the onus on employees to submit a formal opt-out declaration or see part of their salary redirected to the program once again.
Under current law, participation in PPK is voluntary in principle, but the system is designed so that employees are automatically enrolled unless they actively resign. The auto-enrollment mechanism, which resets every four years, requires employers to re-register all workers who had previously opted out. The next such cycle is scheduled for 2027.
The process is already laid out: by the end of February 2027, employers must inform staff that contributions will resume. Anyone who still wants to stay out of PPK must then file a new resignation statement by the end of March 2027. If they miss that deadline, deductions will start again from April 1, 2027.
How the auto-enrollment works
The auto-enrollment applies to roughly 5 million employees in firms that already have a PPK agreement in place. The mechanism is a built-in feature of the program designed to boost long-term saving. While the initial opt-out remains valid indefinitely, the four-year reset forces workers to actively reaffirm their choice.
– Employers are required to notify employees about the upcoming contributions by the end of February 2027. Those who still wish to opt out must submit a new declaration by the end of March 2027 – otherwise payroll deductions will restart from April 1, 2027 – reported 'Fakt’.
Failure to act means the employer will begin transferring monthly contributions from the worker’s salary to their PPK account. The amount depends on the agreed rate, with the employer also adding a matching contribution and the state providing a welcome bonus and annual subsidies.
PPK – a brief reminder
Employee Capital Plans are a voluntary private pension savings scheme. Contributions are made by the employee, the employer, and the state. Savings accumulated in PPK are the private property of the participant, they are inheritable, and they are invested in capital markets.
The program was introduced to supplement the public pension system. However, its default enrollment – with opt-out rather than opt-in – has generated controversy. Many workers who initially joined later resigned, often citing low wages and a desire for immediate cash rather than long-term savings.
With the next auto-enrollment just around the corner, millions of Poles will again face a choice: fill out a form to stay out, or watch their net pay shrink as contributions restart.
Źródło: WNP.PL, Fot. PAP/Albert Zawada
