What are trainings?

Trainings for the unemployed and jobseekers are a means of reemployment promotion funded by the Labour Offices, organised in a form of courses covering at least 25 clock hours a week on average, unless a shorter training duration is stipulated in separate regulations. A trainee receives a scholarship of 120% of the unemployment benefit a month if the monthly number of training hours is at least 150. If the number of training hours a month is lower, the scholarship value is prorated, though it cannot be lower than 20% of the said benefit. After the training is completed, the participant receives a certificate or another document issued by the training institution.

Who can benefit from the training?

The following people registered in the Labour Office can be referred to the training:

• an unemployed person,
• a jobseeker:
  • in the period of notice related to employment relationship or service relationship for the employer's fault,
  • working for an employer in the state of insolvency or liquidation,
  • a person receiving social allowance payable during the miner's leave or the miner's social benefit,
  • a person participating in an individual integration programme or classes of the Social Integration Centre,
  • a reservist,
  • a person receiving a training pension,
  • a person receiving a training allowance paid by the employer,
  • living in the household with a farmer or a farmer's spouse, looking for a job outside agriculture and subject to social insurance,
  • a foreigner, e.g. a national of a European Union member state or a state which executed relevant agreements with the European Community, a refugee, a person holding a permanent residence permit or a settlement permit,
• an employed person aged 45 years and more.

The decision to refer to the training is made by the starost (Labour Office) based on the provisions of the individual action plan.

How long can the training last?

The training should last at least 25 clock hours a week on average, unless a shorter training duration is stipulated in separate regulations. The training can last up to 6 months but, whenever required by the programme, up to 12 months. The training for people with no vocational qualifications can last up to 12 months and, whenever required by the programme, up to 24 months.

What should you do to obtain the referral to training?

You can apply for the referral to training in different ways:

• You can declare your willingness to participate in a group training session planned by the Poviat Labour Office (it is best to do it in writing). The training plan is announced on the Labour Office's information board;
• You can receive a proposal of participation in the training session directly from the Labour Office employee;
• You can apply for the referral to training selected from a market offer. In such circumstances, you need to justify the expediency of training; the cost of such training can be reimbursed by the Labour Office up to 300% of the average remuneration and if the cost is higher, the person referred to training covers the difference themselves (a helpful source of information
  on the training proposals is the database at http://stor.praca.gov.pl;
• You can receive a training voucher — this refers solely to the unemployed below 30 years of age.

The trainings which the unemployed or jobseeker participates in must be organised by a training institution entered in the Register of Training Institutions kept by the starost.

What is a training voucher?

The training voucher is an unemployed reemployment instrument up to 30 years of age, being a guarantee of referring the unemployed person to the training selected by them and to pay the costs which will be incurred in connection with the training commencement.

How can you obtain a training voucher?

The training voucher is granted by the starost (or, more specifically, the Poviat Labour Office acting in the starost's name) on request of the unemployed person. The training voucher is granted and implemented based on the individual action plan and makes it more probable for the unemployed to commence employment, other paid work or business activity. The training voucher validity period is determined by the starost.

What is the value of training costs funded by the starost?

Within the training voucher, the starost funds, up to 100% of the average remuneration, in force on the day when the training voucher is granted, for the unemployed, the costs:

• of one or more trainings, including the costs of the qualifying vocational course and the course awarding vocational qualifications, in the form of payment to the training institution's account;
• of required medical or psychological examinations — paid to the account of the examiner;
• travel to the training location — in the form of a flat amount paid to the unemployed amounting to:
  • up to PLN 150 — for a training session up to 150 hours;
  • above PLN 150 to PLN 200 — for a training session of more than 150 hours;
• accommodation, if the training takes place outside the place of residence — in the form of a flat amount paid to the unemployed amounting to:
  • up to PLN 550 — for a training session up to 75 hours;
  • above PLN 550 to PLN 1,100 — for a training session of from 75 to 150 hours;
  • above PLN 1100 to PLN 1,500 — for a training session of more than 150 hours.

And what if the training cost exceeds the voucher value?

The starost funds the costs of training, medical examination and the travel and accommodation up to the value stipulated in the training voucher, and the unemployed covers the costs above the said limit.

Who is eligible to receive the scholarship?

The scholarship funded under the Labour Fund is payable to the unemployed during the term of training which they were referred to by the Poviat Labour Office.

What is the scholarship value?

The scholarship value is 120% of the unemployment benefit provided the number of training hours is at least 150 hours a month. If the training term is shorter, the scholarship is prorated and its value is at least 20% of the unemployment benefit. The scholarship amounting to 20% of the said benefit is payable starting from the day when the employment, other paid work or business activity is commenced to the day when the training is completed, irrespective of the training hours.

Please note: The unemployed eligible to receive the scholarship and the benefit at the same time, is entitled to choose the benefit.

Please note: A person who failed to complete training for their own fault is obliged to repay its cost, except for the situation when the training was not completed because of commencing employment, other paid work or business activity.

Is the scholarship payable also in the period when I am incapable of work?

Yes. The unemployed retains the right to the scholarship for the period of their documented incapacity for work. This incapacity should be documented with a medical certificate or a printout of the medical certificate (this does not apply to the unemployed treated in an addiction treatment centre). The unemployed is obliged to notify the Poviat Labour Office of their incapacity for work within 2 days after the certificate is issued and submit it to the Poviat Labour Office within 7 days.