Computer workstation ergonomics — workstation, laptop, chair and reimbursement of glasses or contact lenses after the Polish amendment

Short answer: yes, if the employee works on a laptop for at least half of the daily working time. Such a laptop must have a stand that sets the screen at the right height and a separate keyboard and mouse. An external monitor serves the same purpose and is often more comfortable than a stand.

With a laptop flat on the desk the screen is too low, so the user bends the neck and slouches; with a raised laptop and no external keyboard the forearms are lifted. Both postures load the neck and shoulders and lead to typical musculoskeletal complaints within months.

A simple equipment standard works well: stand or monitor, keyboard, mouse and a light mobile kit for people who work in several locations. Record the issue of equipment so you can show an inspector who received it and when.

Short answer: the chair must be stable and allow free movement, with adjustable seat height and backrest (height and tilt), lumbar support and armrests. In practice this means a swivel chair on castors; check the exact wording of the amended annex.

The desk must be large enough to arrange equipment ergonomically and leave room for legs and forearms. Desk and seat height should let elbows, hips and knees bend at roughly right angles with the feet firmly supported.

A footrest is provided at the employee's request — not at every desk by default, but it cannot be refused. Place the screen with its top edge roughly at eye level, usually 40–75 cm away, side-on to windows and free of glare. For office work EN 12464-1 recommends 500 lx average illuminance on the task area; this is a standard referred to by general rules.

Short answer: at least 5 minutes after every hour of screen work, counted as working time. The rules also allow alternating screen work with tasks that do not strain the eyes and are done in a different body position.

Breaks cannot be accumulated or taken at the end of the day — their purpose is to relax eyes and muscles during work. Put the rule in the work regulations and repeat it during workstation induction.

Short answer: when the employee uses a screen for at least half of the daily working time and the doctor performing the preventive examination finds that corrective glasses or contact lenses are needed for screen work. Since the 2023 amendment the employee may choose contact lenses instead of glasses if the doctor considers them appropriate.

The rules set no amount or frequency. The employer defines them in work or pay regulations, but the amount must realistically cover corrective lenses and a basic frame — a token contribution does not meet the duty. New glasses are due when a later examination shows a change in vision, not automatically every year.

Step by step: the medical referral states screen work above 4 hours a day, the occupational physician refers to an eye consultation and issues a recommendation, the employee buys glasses or lenses, submits a request with the invoice, and the employer refunds up to the set amount. Sunglasses or 'computer glasses' without a medical recommendation are not covered.

Short answer: yes. After the amendment the regulation also applies to remote workstations, and article 67³¹ of the Polish Labour Code requires the employer to provide remote workers with materials and tools, including technical devices — unless the parties agree that the employee uses their own equipment for an allowance.

Remote workers receive glasses or lenses on the same terms as office staff. The employer prepares a remote-work risk assessment and safety information; the employee confirms that the workstation is safe. A short self-assessment with a photo is good practice.

The occupational risk assessment module links screen-work hazards to office and remote positions. The medical examinations module tracks preventive examination dates and records recommendations for glasses or lenses.

A digital checklist in audits and inspections supports an office walk or a remote self-assessment; findings, such as a missing laptop stand, become tasks with an owner and a deadline. The diagram below illustrates the process and is not a screenshot.