Farmers
This article is written according to the legal status current as of: 2023-01-20
A person who owns an agricultural property may register in a district labour office and take advantage of particular forms of support. What status the person may acquire in a labour office depends on the area of the agricultural land.
If you are a proprietor or an independent or dependent owner of a farming real estate with the arable land area not exceeding 2 calculation hectares , or you are not subject to retirement pension or disability pension insurance on account of permanent employment on a farm and you are not
a spouse of the farm owner or household member on such a farm, which has the arable land area exceeding 2 calculation hectares – you may register as an unemployed person.
The status of the unemployed person enables you to take part in various available in the district labour office services and forms of support. If you meet the necessary requirements, you may also be granted the unemployment benefit.
Pursuant to the provisions of the Act of 20 December 1990 on social insurance for farmers, if the area of your agricultural property exceeds 1 calculation hectare, you are covered by social insurance for farmers. Thus while being registered in the labour office, you are obliged to pay contributions to the Agricultural Social Insurance Fund(KRUS). If you receive the unemployment benefit you are not required to do so.
What happens if the arable land area exceeds 2 calculation hectares?
A proprietor or an independent or dependent owner of an agricultural property with the arable land area exceeding 2 calculation hectares may not register in a labour office as an unemployed person, he is not entitled to take part in the forms of support offered by the district labour offices, however he may take advantage of other benefits.
In case you are covered by the farmers’ social insurance, the employment relationship or service relationship of which was terminated for reasons attributable to the employer, and you are not entitled to allowance, you are entitled to:
- covering farmers’ social insurance contributions within first four quarters after the termination of the employment relationship or service relationship,
- the scholarship during a training,
- compensation in respect of insurance against accidents arising in connection with training, according to the conditions specified for the unemployed;
Whereas the district governor may grant you:
- financing the costs of the training aimed at undertaking employment or non-agricultural activity outside the household;
- one-off funds to undertake non-agricultural activity or for the purchase of land, not excluding manufacturing activity and services in agriculture.
Benefits may be granted to a you if within 18 months before the day of submission of an application for allowance you maintained the employment relationship or service relationship, and received remuneration being a contribution assessment base for social insurance and Labour Fund equal to at least the minimum remuneration for work during 365 days, and the relationship was terminated for reasons attributable to the employer. It is also required that the tax on agricultural household or a special division does not exceed the amount of agricultural tax on 5 calculation hectares, or does not exceed the amount of agricultural tax on 1 calculation hectare per 1 household member having no permanent non-agricultural sources of income.
As soon as you register in a labour office you may also take advantage of the services offered by the Centre for Occupational Activation. Within its services there are work exchange service, vocational counselling, aid in active search for work, and training courses.
Legal basis
Act of 20 April 2004 on Employment Promotion and Labour Market Institutions (art. 2, art. 62)
Act of 20 December 1990 on social insurance for farmers
Development: Editorial team of Zielona Linia
