The agreement, signed five days earlier (26 June), marks the beginning of the next phase of the safety net program for JSW employees. The program is part of the transformation of the hard coal mining sector, planned for 2026-2031, and stems from the amended Act on the Functioning of the Hard Coal Mining Industry.
According to program assumptions, 3,092 employees at JSW are expected to take mining leave in 2026.
The mining leave is intended for employees who have no more than five years remaining until they become eligible for retirement. For employees of coal processing plants, the leave period may be up to four years. Employees taking advantage of the program are exempt from the obligation to work, and during their leave they receive 80 percent of their pay, calculated according to the rules governing annual leave.
The safety net program, which includes one-off cash severance pays launched in May as well as mining and processing leave, is expected to cover a total of 4,248 JSW employees. The estimated cost of implementing the program funded from the state budget this year is approximately PLN 500 million.
