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. This principle does not specify the criteria for the prohibited forms of discrimination.

Until 2010 Poland has transposed the equality directives mainly in the employment field. There were still a number of gaps, which finally caused some referrals to the European Court of Justice. The risk of loosing cases mobilized Polish Government to final approval of the “Act of on the Implementation of Certain Provisions of the European Union in the Field of Equal Treatment” that entered into force on January 1^st, 2011 (henceforth as Act on Equal Treatment or AET).

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. 

Until 2010 no institution or body has been officially designated to be the specialised body as required by Directive 2000/43.

The 2010 AET finally designates as an equality body the existing Ombudsperson office. The law adequately amended existing Act imposing on the Ombud new competences (in addition to its very broad mandate - protecting human rights and freedoms).