The article discusses problems connected with women's professional employment, with a special attention being focussed on their qualifications. In its introduc t ion, there is roughly outlined the position held by women in the social and economic life of Poland, which is shown as a result of political and social transformations. Changes in professional activity rates and structure of women's employment are shown next, and more emphasisis placed on changes in feminization of employment according to particular sectors of the national economy and occupations. This i s followed by analysis of factors behind women's professional activation . The final part of the article is devoted to description of problems accompanying profession al employment of women in agglomeration of Lodz, where the share of women in the work force is among the highest in Poland. Zadanie pt. „Digitalizacja i udostępnienie w Cyfrowym Repozytorium Uniwersytetu Łódzkiego kolekcji czasopism naukowych wydawanych przez Uniwersytet Łódzki” nr 885/P-DUN/2014 dofinansowane zostało ze środków MNiSW w ramach działalności upowszechniającej naukę.