In the “smiling Poland” of the December 13 coalition, Poles must fear for their livelihoods. Companies are submitting plans to reduce employment, which means more human tragedies.
Employers in the Podkarpacie region reported to labor offices in the first two months of this year that they plan to cut 230 jobs as part of group layoffs. The companies announcing layoffs include those in the furniture and aviation industries. In January 2025 alone, the number of announced job reductions was 210, followed by another 20 in February.
“We’ll only know how many people will ultimately lose their jobs after the layoff process concludes,”
emphasized Tomasz Czop, Director of the Provincial Labor Office in Rzeszów. He noted that any report of group layoffs—especially in firms based in smaller towns—is concerning.
According to Czop, employers typically report the maximum possible number of positions to be cut. In some cases, with external support and counseling, this number can be limited or reduced. In reality, the actual number of layoffs carried out is usually lower. Sometimes, companies even manage to downsize their planned layoffs or withdraw the notice entirely.
In recent years, the worst period in Podkarpacie—regarding the number of jobs cut—was during the pandemic and in 2022, when nearly 3,000 layoff notices were issued. Czop believes that the situation currently appears stable in the regional labor market.
“Laid-off employees—especially specialists, those with certifications, or those with significant experience—have a good chance of finding new employment. However, it’s uncertain whether they will remain in the same industry or under the same conditions,”
said the head of the Rzeszów labor office.
Czop stressed that the coming months could bring a “lack of employment stability.”
He pointed out that demographic trends contribute to this uncertainty, as depopulation is on the rise. This means fewer people of working age and with experience will be available in the labor market. For the same reason, the number of new workers entering the market will also be lower. Educational institutions, including vocational schools, may not be able to provide enough qualified specialists in time to fill the gap.
In January of this year, the region’s unemployment rate stood at 9.1 percent, an increase of 0.4 percentage points compared to December 2024.