Ukraine Employment Law

Employees who have been in continuous employment for more than 6 months are entitled to annual basic leave for a duration of 24 calendar days. In the case of granting the employee annual leave before the end of the six-month period of continuous work, the duration of leave is calculated in proportion to the time worked in the organization.

The employer must notify the specific period of annual leave to the employee in writing of the date of the holiday at the maximum after 2 weeks of the scheduled date.

Division of Annual Leave into parts

Annual leave may be divided into two parts at the request of the employees in such a way that the main continuous part of the leave shall last for a duration of 14 calendar days. The unused part of the duration may be provided to employees before the end of the working year, or at the maximum 12 months after the expiration of the working year for which leave has been granted.

Exclusion of Days from Annual Leave

Holidays, non – working days, and days of temporary incapacity of work including maternity leave are not included in the annual leave.

Additional Annual Leaves

Annual additional leaves are provided to employees for a duration of 35 calendar days who are engaged in harmful conditions of work as well as for employees with special nature of work, as may be provided by the law.

Annual additional leave at the request of the employee may be granted simultaneously with the annual main leave or separately from it. The total duration of annual basic and additional leave may not exceed 59 calendar days, and for employees engaged in underground mining – 69 calendar days. Labour Code, Article 74, 75 and 78, Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 6, 10 and 12.

Effective October 1, 2022, the minimum wage in Ukraine increased to 6700 UAH/month.

The above information on minimum wages might not be up to date & subject to change. Kindly access the link for the current rates.

Women employees are entitled to paid maternity leave of the below duration:

• • • Before childbirth – 70 calendar days;
    • After delivery – 56 calendar days (70 calendar days – in the case of two or more children and in case of complications of delivery) from the date of birth.

The total duration of maternity leave was 126 days (140 days in case of giving birth to twins or complications during childbirth).

At the woman’s request and in the absence of medical contraindications, a part of the leave of 70 calendar days before the due date can be shifted and used in part or in full after childbirth.

Article 17 of the Holidays Act.

Reduced working hours shall be established for employees who have children under the age of 14 or a child with a disability, as well as for single mothers and parents raising a child without a father or mother, including a number in case of the long stay of mother in the hospital.

The law establishes equal rights of a mother and father of a child to take an unpaid parental leave till the child reaches the age of 3 after the end of maternity leave. An enterprise, institution, organization at its own expense may provide one of the child’s parents with partially paid leave and unpaid leave to care for a child for a longer period.

This leave may also be used in whole or in part by the grandparents or other relatives who are actually caring for the child, or by a person who has adopted or adopted a child, one of the adoptive parents, or foster parents. At the request of the mother, the child’s father, may work part-time or at home during their stay on childcare leave.

Employees shall be entitled to a one-time paid leave at the birth of a child lasting up to 14 calendar days (excluding holidays and non-working days) is provided to employees, namely:

• • • a husband whose wife has given birth to a child;
    • the child’s father, who is not in a registered marriage with the child’s mother, provided that they live together, are related by common life, have mutual rights and obligations;
    • grandparents or other adult relatives of the child who actually care for the child, whose mother or father is a single mother (single father).

Leave at the birth of a child is granted only to one of the persons specified above. Art 77(3) Labour Code (added by Law No. 1401-IX 2021).

Women employees are granted childcare leave until the child reaches 3 years of age, after the end of the maternity leave. The company can provide women with partially paid leave and unpaid leave to care for a child for a longer period.

As of May 9, 2021, either a mother or father of two and more children under the age of 15, a child with a disability or who have adopted a child, a single mother, the child’s father, or a person with a childhood disability may take an additional paid leave of 10 calendar days per year without taking into account holidays and non-working days.

This leave may also be used in whole or in part by the child’s father, grandmother, grandfather, or other relatives who are actually caring for the child, or by a person who has adopted a child, one of the adoptive parents, or foster parents. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 18.

Reduced working hours shall be established for employees who have children under the age of 14 or a child with a disability, as well as for single mothers and parents raising a child without a father or mother, including in the case of long-stay of mother in the hospital.

Employees who are unable to work due to sickness or other temporary disabilities are entitled to compensation for the entire period of their absence from work. The employer shall provide compensation for the first five days of sick leave.

The length of sick leave is determined by a doctor, although after 4 consecutive months an employee may be terminated.

An employee who has adopted a child is entitled to a one-time paid leave of 56 calendar days and 70 calendar days in the case of the adoption of two or more children, excluding holidays and non-working days. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 181.

Employees with two or more children or a child with a disability are entitled to additional paid leave of 10 days. In cases where more than one reason exists for granting this leave, the total duration shall not exceed 17 calendar days. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 19.

Effective May 9, 2021, either a mother or father of two and more children under the age of 15, a child with a disability or who have adopted a child, a single mother, the child’s father, or a person with a childhood disability may take an additional paid leave of 10 calendar days per year without taking into account holidays and non-working days.

Employers shall provide leave without pay at the request of the employees in the below circumstances:

Marriage Leave

Employees are entitled to an unpaid leave of 10 days for marriage purposes. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 25.

Bereavement Leave

Employees are entitled to leave for a duration of 7 days in relation to the death of relatives by blood or marriage and 3 days for other relatives. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 25.

Compassionate Care Leave

Employees shall be granted leave for a period of 30 days or less as mentioned in the medical support for the care of a sick relative by blood or marriage. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 25.

Miscellaneous Leaves

Below are some of the miscellaneous  unpaid leave available to employees:

• • • • • Up to 14 calendar days for a mother (or single father) of two or more children under the age of 15 or of a disabled child,
        • Up to 14 calendar days for war veterans and other individuals rewarded for special services to the country,
        • Up to 21 calendar days for individuals rewarded for special labor services to the country,
        • Up to 14 calendar days for a husband whose wife is on maternity leave, etc.

Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 25.

Employees may be granted unpaid leave for a period of 15 days due to family circumstances or other reasons. Labour Code, Article 84.

Employees elected to the elected trade union bodies in the organization are entitled to 6 days of paid leave for the purposes of union training. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 151.

Leave in Connection with Studies in Secondary Schools:

Employees who receive secondary education in secondary schools are entitled to additional paid leave in the below manner:

• • • • • • • • • Final examinations in the primary school – for a period of 10 calendar days;
                • Final examinations in the high school – for a period of 23 calendar days;
                • Transfer examinations in primary and secondary schools – from 4 to 6 calendar days, excluding weekends.

Employees who take external exams for primary or secondary school are granted an additional paid leave of 21 and 28 calendar days, respectively.

Leave in Connection with Studies in Vocational Schools:

Employees who study at evening departments of vocational schools are granted additional paid leave for the preparation and passing of exams with a total duration of 35 calendar days during the school year.

Leave in Connection with Studies in Higher & Post Graduate Educational Establishments and Postgraduate Studies:

Employees who are studying full time in higher education institutions with evening and part-time education are provided with additional paid leave:

For those employees who study in the first and second and second years in higher educational institutions:

• • • • • • • • • • The first and second levels of accreditation with the evening form of training – 10 calendar days,
                  • The third and fourth levels of accreditation with the evening form of training – 20 calendar days,
                  • Regardless of the level of accreditation with the correspondence form of study – 30 calendar days;

For those employees who study in the third and subsequent courses in higher educational establishments:

• • • • • • • • • • • The first and second levels of accreditation with the evening form of training – 20 calendar days,
                    • Third and fourth levels of accreditation with the evening form of training – 30 calendar days,
                    • Regardless of the level of accreditation with the correspondence form of study – 40 calendar days;

For the period of passing state examinations in higher educational institutions, regardless of the level of accreditation – 30 calendar days.

For the period of preparation of the diploma project (work) to students studying in higher education institutions with evening and correspondence forms of education of the first and second levels of accreditation – 2 months, and in higher educational institutions of the third and fourth levels of accreditation – 4 months.

Employees who study full-time in graduate school and successfully complete an individual training plan are provided with additional paid leave of 30 calendar days and, if requested, for 4 years of study – 1 day off per week with payment of 50 percent of the average salary. Law of Ukraine on Holidays, Article 13, 14, and 15.