The analytical publication devoted to the characteristic of the main populations and processes taking place on the Polish labour market. The year 2020 was special due to the global COVID-19 pandemic caused by the SARS-CoV-2 virus. This also had a significant impact on the labour market, which, like the lens, concentrates the effects of major changes taking place in both the economy and social life.

In Poland, the epidemic was announced in March 2020. Both its course and the measures taken to prevent the spread of the virus, including, inter alia, the introduction of social distance requiring limiting the activities of selected sectors of the economy within the scope of the entire country or individual zones designated due to the increased risk of infection, disrupted the typical market game of supply and demand for labour. The situation on the labour market was also influenced by the solutions of the Polish anti-crisis shields, the purpose of which was to protect jobs and income.

Therefore, this study focuses on identifying those populations and phenomena in which significant changes occurred, directly or indirectly caused by the epidemic situation.

The analysis carried out is intended to show the situation of persons on the labour market during the period covered by the COVID-19 pandemic on the background of economic activity of the population in the previous years. The first chapter discusses labour resources and how they are used in the long term, based on average annual data. Quarterly data were presented for 2020 and the year immediately preceding it. Chapter two is dedicated to selected aspects that characterise the population of employed persons: working time, absence from work and atypical forms of employment, including remote work.