Teachers who returned to work under special provisions introduced after the outbreak of war in Ukraine may lose their compensatory allowance. The benefit, worth an average of 4,475 zł per month, will be cut if they remain employed past August 31. The Ministry of National Education has confirmed it will not extend the current regulations.
Teacher compensatory allowances are the equivalent of bridge pensions for educators. Those receiving the benefit are normally not allowed to continue working in schools. However, in 2022, temporary rules were introduced to allow teachers who had already taken the allowance to return to the classroom without losing it, in response to the influx of Ukrainian refugees.
Now the ministry has made it clear that these exceptions will expire on August 31, 2026. Deputy Education Minister Henryk Kiepura stated in a parliamentary response: – A person deciding to take the teacher compensatory allowance must accept that receiving this benefit generally precludes continued work as a teacher – said Henryk Kiepura.
No extension in sight
The deputy minister added that his department is not conducting any legislative work to extend the temporary solution. This means that any teacher who has been collecting the compensatory allowance while working must choose: resign from their job by August 31 or lose the benefit permanently.
According to Social Insurance Institution (ZUS) data, in April 2026 the allowance was paid to 9,200 teachers. The average monthly amount was 4,475.46 zł. The number of recipients has been declining year on year, but still represents a significant group facing a difficult decision.
What teachers need to know
The allowance is not financed from pension contributions but directly from the state budget. Teachers who decide to stay in the profession after the deadline will effectively give up a state-guaranteed monthly payment that, for many, provides financial security before reaching standard retirement age.
The ministry’s position suggests no room for negotiation. Teachers who have been balancing work with the allowance under the temporary rules must now pick one option before the end of August. Those who fail to submit their resignation from employment by September 1 will see their compensatory allowance terminated.
Consequences for the education system
The end of the exemption could affect the staffing situation in Polish schools, which already face a shortage of qualified teachers. The temporary rules had helped bring experienced educators back into classrooms during a period of increased demand. With the benefit no longer available to working teachers, some may leave the profession again, further straining school resources.
For now, the ministry has not announced any alternative measures to retain these teachers. The only certain path for those already past the allowance age is to either accept a full-time salary without the extra state payment, or retire again on the compensatory benefit.
Źródło: wnp.pl, Fot. PAP/Radek Pietruszka
