Labor Ministry Prepares for Potential Tech-Driven Unemployment, Unemployment Rate Creeps Up
PolandS Ministry of Labor is proactively addressing potential disruptions to the labor market stemming from technological advancements like automation and artificial intelligence. Minister Agnieszka Dziemianowicz-Bąk, in a Thursday interview with Interia Biznes, stated her ministry is preparing for “not necessary, but potential changes or risks that the future brings,” specifically the possibility of “technological unemployment.”
The Ministry is currently exploring solutions to mitigate this risk, including considering options like reduced working hours to adapt to evolving circumstances and protect both employees and the labor market. Dziemianowicz-Bąk assured that the Ministry is not underestimating potential challenges and is attempting to react preemptively to changes.
Recent data from the Central Statistical Office (CSO) indicates a slight increase in unemployment.The unemployment rate rose to 5.4% in July 2025, up from 5.2% in June. The Ministry of Labor attributes this increase, in part, to the implementation of new provisions within the recent Act on the labor market and employment services, which came into effect on June 1, 2025.
Specifically, the Ministry notes a decrease in the number of individuals deregistered as unemployed. this is linked to the removal of requirements for unemployed individuals to confirm their readiness to work and the elimination of sanctions for refusing job offers. Fewer people are also participating in active labor market programs like internships and public works. The Ministry also acknowledges that broadened eligibility criteria for unemployment status may contribute to the increased registration numbers.
Experts point to employer caution, driven by factors like rising labor costs, as another contributing factor to the current labor market situation. Employment Law expert Prof. Grażyna spytek-Bandurska from the Federation of Polish Entrepreneurs noted in a Tuesday conversation with PAP that employers are currently “behaving belaying and do not create new jobs,” and that there are no current economic programs designed to incentivize increased employer activity. She further emphasized the growing influence of modern technologies and artificial intelligence on the labor market.
