Job guarantee: fixing Poland’s labour market? 

In this book, we examine whether Poland’s labour market could be designed to protect people during crises – without pretending that market forces alone will solve the problem. We explain what a job guarantee programme is and how it could work in Poland, from economic rationale and legal frameworks to delivery models and implementation costs.

What we studied and the real-world problem it addresses

We studied the concept of a job guarantee: a programme in which the state-working with local institutions-provides employment for people who cannot find work in the market. The starting point is unemployment and employment insecurity, set against longer-term shifts such as population ageing, migration, and the energy and digital transitions (changes in how we produce energy and how we work).

Why it matters: who it is for and when

This concerns people who fall out of the labour market or struggle to return to stable employment. It also matters for local governments and civil society organisations, because they are often the first to see how crises affect local communities. A more stable labour market can mean lower social costs and a more resilient economy.

Our idea: one simple example 

We propose thinking about a job guarantee as a labour-market “safety valve”: when the private sector slows down, the programme absorbs part of the workforce into jobs with clear social value. For example, a municipality could create roles in care services or environmental projects, rather than leaving people outside the labour market for prolonged periods.

What this could change in the longer term

Over the long term, the aim is to move from “firefighting” to building a labour market that can absorb shocks without deepening exclusion. We also show that without legal foundations and a coherent social policy, such a programme remains a slogan rather than a practical instrument. This is critical if the solution is to work not only in theory, but in the day-to-day reality of people and institutions.

Reference 

Augustyński, I., Kłosowicz-Toborek, K., Waligóra, A., & Zyzik, R. (2025). Gwarancja zatrudnienia. Jak naprawić rynek pracy w Polsce? (122 s.). Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne Oddział w Poznaniu. 

badania.uew.pl – because the world needs competent voices when noise tries to drown out reason.

Author: Barbara Grzelczak