Sunday with no shopping?

"Such a law would not only be complicated but would also cause the entire retail sector losses, including shopping centres. In the Sejm, a number of other options have also been discussed. MP Adam Abramowicz has suggested two new amendments. One, which has the possible backing of the Ministry of Labour, would mean that shops close for two Sundays every month. This proposal has been criticised by many and not just by the retail sector. Another option that has been taken under consideration is to reduce Sunday opening hours with all stores closing at 1 p.m. It’s been agreed that shortened opening hours might be a good compromise but that different opening hours for different types of stores should be discussed. There is also a third proposal, put forward by the Lewiatan confederation that the working hours of employees should be reduced and not those of stores," said Radosław Knap.

"It’s hard to assess such a proposal without detail. We have asked Lewiatan to provide written details of its proposal so we could analyse it. If a company wants to open on Sundays it might prepare a schedule for employees in which no person would have to work on two or three Sundays in a row. It’s not the same as closing stores on Sundays," he added.

"The government wants the new law to come into effect on 1st Jan, 2018. If there are more proposed changes and analyses of whether it should be a new law or a part of the employment code, the passing of the bill will be delayed," head of PRCH told us.