Abstract:

The purpose of this study is to demonstrate to what extent changes in the law introduced in connection with the SARS - CoV - 2 pandemic affect the sense of legal security on the part of entrepreneurs. The subject of the study is fitness industry entrepreneurs that operate in Central Pomerania, Poland.

This article analyses quantitative data on the amount of legislation introduced in Poland in 2020, and it isolates those legal acts that regulate business activity. By means of a diagnostic survey, data was collected and analysed on the impact that changes in the law had on the sense of legal security on the part of entrepreneurs involved in business activities during the SARS- CoV - 2 coronavirus pandemic.

The results of the study demonstrate that there is a relationship between the manner and timing of the enactment of new legislation and entrepreneurs’ sense of legal security. The legislative activity conducted during the SARS - CoV -2 coronavirus pandemic affects not only the decision to start, run, suspend, or terminate a business but also the perception of public administration bodies and compliance with the law.

The most important practical implication is that the current manner and pace of passing legislation fails to offer entrepreneurs a sense of legal security. Thus, there is a need to change the manner and procedures related to passing new legislation.

The analysis conducted demonstrates that the lack of predictability in the legislator’s actions may contribute to deliberate disregard and non-compliance with regulations and, what follows from that, to a lack of economic security and a development of the “black economy”.