A rise in wage and a lower salary? Teachers fell into a taxation trap

It was expected to be a historical 30% wage increase, and there's a immense disappointment. Thousands of Polish teachers who hoped for higher transfers look at their bank accounts with disbelief. alternatively of the promised money, many of them saw the amounts lower than before the raise. The culprit is Second taxation threshold, which ruthlessly absorbs a large part of the money earned, creating an absurd situation in which higher gross earnings mean lower net remuneration.

The problem affects first and foremost the most experienced and active educators who combine work in respective institutions or take overtime. It is estimated that all sixth teacher in Poland has fallen into a taxation trap. These are tens of thousands of people who feel frustration and injustice alternatively of being satisfied with their work. The government remains firm for now, and trade unions endanger to escalate protests.

How does a taxation trap work? Math Disappointment

The mechanics that deprives teachers of part of the rise is seemingly simple, but its consequences are devastating. The yearly income limit at the level of PLN 120 000 gross. Although this amount may seem high, for a teacher with many years of experience, working for more than 1 period or receiving allowances, it became a real problem just after fresh increases.

Until this threshold is reached, gross is taxed at 12%. However, all gold earned above PLN 120 1000 is already charged with taxation in the amount of 32%. The difference is enormous. In practice, this means that from each additional PLN 100 gross earned in the second threshold, the teacher's pocket reaches PLN 20 little than before. erstwhile we add mandatory social and wellness contributions to this, the real profit from the increase melts in the eyes.

The problem escalates erstwhile additional benefits specified as Jubilee Awards or "Thirds" enter the game. A one-off, larger transfer can rapidly rise the yearly taxation base and "put" the teacher at a higher threshold for the past fewer months of the year, resulting in drastically lower payouts in November or December.

Who loses the most? Paradox hits the best

The top paradox of the current situation is the fact that the taxation strategy hit those whom it was expected to appreciate – teachers certified with 30 or 40 years of experience. They are veterans of Polish education, who have earned below the national average for years, and now that their salaries have yet reached a decent level, the taxation immediately asks for their share. They are the ones who most frequently combine work in respective schools to guarantee continuity of education, as confirmed by the Ministry of Education's data – in this way about 60 000 educators work.

The autumn months of 2024 were peculiarly painful erstwhile the Jubilee Awards were paid. For an experienced teacher, specified a prize can be even twice the monthly salary. The result? abrupt gross surge and entry into a 32 percent tax. Many teachers were amazed to discover that their pay for November was lower than for October, despite theoretically higher earnings.

Meanwhile, young teachers, who are just starting their careers, do not have this problem. Their earnings are low adequate that the second taxation threshold remains a distant abstraction for them. In this way, the strategy in an absurd way punishes for experience and commitment, and rewards lower qualifications and shorter work placement.

Trade unions are demanding change. Government remains firm

Teacher union centres, headed by educational “Solidarity”, reacted almost immediately. Already in the autumn of 2024, there were first demands to rise the taxation threshold from PLN 120 to PLN 150 thousand. The argument was simple: no change in the system, teachers will halt taking overtime, and schools, already struggling with staff shortages, will face a threat of paralysis.

In May 2025, in the absence of a government response, unionists tightened their position. In an authoritative letter to Prime Minister Donald Tusk they demanded not only raising the taxation threshold to PLN 160 thousandbut besides doubling the tax-free amount from PLN 30 to PLN 60 thousand. specified extremist demands show the scale of frustration and determination in the teaching environment.

However, the government's answer is clear and disappointing. Ministry of Finance clearly communicates that Tax thresholds will not be changed by 2028. The authoritative reason is simply a hard budgetary situation. It is unofficially said that the government is afraid of beginning the “Pandora’s box” – raising the threshold for 1 professional group would trigger an avalanche of akin demands from police, nurses or officials.

What's next on the salary? Promises vs. Reality

The teachers were trapped. On the 1 hand, the government boasts of historical increases, on the another hand – the same government refuses to correct the taxation system, which mostly reduces these increases. Interestingly, both the current ruling coalition and its main competitor in the presidential election, Rafał Trzaskowski, promised to increase the tax-free amount. Only that the implementation of this key promise was postponed at the end of the term.

Is there any way out of this? For any teachers, it can be a gateway to doing their own business, specified as tutoring. Company registration allows you to choose 19% liner taxwhich avoids falling into a higher threshold. However, this is simply a solution available to a fewer and involves additional bureaucracy and the failure of any reliefs, specified as joint clearing with the spouse.

For most educators, the only hope remains the continued force of the trade unions and counting on the government yet bowing down and making electoral promises before the end of the term. By this time, thousands of the best Polish teachers each period will be bitterly watching the state take distant much of their hard-earned raise.