Author: Cezary Horbaczewski, Kozminski University

New year 2015 brings new changes in our lives. Everybody makes a lot of New Year decisions, plans future work and free time. But what would you do, if some law that you’ve never heard before stands on your way and thwarts your intent?

Criminal law

From 1^st of July will be in force great evolution of The Code of penal procedure. The amendment implies a change of model of proceeding before criminal code. The change affects alignment parties force. Also mediation mechanism will change. As well change will concern legal advisers, they will gain a right of audience in criminal proceeding.

Civil law

New Act of Parliament entitled: “Prawo o aktach stanu cywilnego” is due to come into force in 1^st of March. From that day wedding will be able to conclude without showing special reason offsite of register office. However, it will cost additionally one thousand PLN. Another interesting change is ability given to parents to name their child with any name known in the world.

On the same day new law provides changes in pattern of ID card. Postal address, height and eye colour will be no more needed. Nevertheless you don’t need to replace your hitherto ID with a new one.

Labour law

On the first Thursday of 2015 funding rules, of workplace of people with deemed disability, paid by the Państwowy Fundusz Rehabilitacji Osób Niepełnosprawnych will be changed. With that change not only companies, which want to hire the disabled, but also companies, which already employ such person can obtain the money from afore said fund.

Tax law

Since the New Year the way of accounting of employee use of company car for private purposes will change. The Act implies a lump sum mechanism of calculating the value of the benefits received by the employee using the official car privately.

I hope that, that list will be useful. What do You think about aforesaid changes?

Have your say!