The new law on labor relations

We would like to inform you that on July 1, the Verkhovna Rada adopted the Draft Law on Amendments to Certain Laws of Ukraine on Optimizing Labor Relations No. 7251 (hereinafter referred to as the Law), which introduces many significant changes to labor regulation, the main ones of which will be considered below.

The law has already been sent to the President for signature and will enter into force immediately after its signing and official publication.

1. A key change: saving the average salary for mobilized employees has been cancelled

As you may recall, the Code of Labor Laws (hereinafter referred to as the Labor Code) contains a norm that obliges enterprises not only to keep the workplace for employees while performing military duties, but also to pay them the average salary at the expense of the enterprise.

In order to relieve enterprises of an excessive financial burden, as well as taking into account the fact that mobilized employees receive financial support from the state, the Law cancels the requirement for enterprises to pay mobilized employees the average salary. According to the new Law, the company is only obliged to keep the place of work for them.

2. Other changes introduced by the new Law

Thus, the Law establishes, among other things:

2.1. requirements for the possibility of remote exchange of documents with the employee by electronic means: both during the hiring of new employees and in relation to existing employees;

2.2. new grounds for dismissal of employees, which may be used during martial law, and the procedure for their application;

2.3. a new document that must be issued to the employee upon his dismissal;

2.4. a special procedure for notifying employees about changes in essential working conditions for the period of martial law;

2.7. the procedure of suspension of the employment contract, its renewal, appeal by the employee and cancellation of such suspension by the employer at the request of the supervisory authorities;

2.8. new rules regarding the weekly norm of working hours and payment of salary when it is increased;

2.9. return of payment of compensation for work on a day off, which was suspended for the period of martial law;

2.10. rules regarding taking into account public holidays when determining the length of leave for the period of martial law;

2.11. cases and conditions of conducting unscheduled inspections on labor matters, as well as conditions for exemption from payment of fines based on the results of such inspections, etc.

In case of questions, we are ready to provide detailed explanations and practical advice regarding each of the innovations of the Law.