The 1997 Polish Constitution contains general anti-discrimination clauses, according to which all people shall be equal before the law and have the right to equal treatment by public authorities and no one shall be discriminated against in political, social or economic life for any reason whatsoever.

According to Labour Code in the field of employment any discrimination is forbidden, in particular with regard to concluding and terminating an employment relationship and the terms of employment, promotion and access to vocational training aimed at upgrading professional qualifications. The prohibition of discrimination also applies to all the institutions of the labour market, such as employment agencies and employment counselling as well as training courses for the unemployed. 

Untill 2010 no institution or body has been officially designated to be the specialised body as required by Directive 2000/43. There was no single “specialised body” which would be able to fulfil all three functions in the sense of Article 13.2 of the Racial Equality Directive.

The 2010 Act on Equal Treatment finallydesignates as an equality body the existing Ombudsperson office (Commissioner for Civil Rights Protection – Rzecznik Praw Obywatelskich).