COUNTRY

An employment agreement in Ukraine can be verbal or written. In Ukraine, the term “employment contract” refers to a specific, more flexible form of employment agreement with a fixed term that is only used when the law requires it.

The standard workweek in Ukraine is 40 hours: eight hours a day over five days. Employers also have the option of establishing a six-day workweek with days no longer than seven hours. Overtime is allowed when there is an emergency or an urgent need. It is limited to four hours over two consecutive days and 120 hours annually. Employees receive additional compensation for working overtime.

Employees are entitled to four months of paid sick leave in Ukraine. The employee is paid their full salary for the first five days and then a percentage of their salary by social security starting on the sixth day. After four continuous months on sick leave, an employee can be terminated by the employer.

Female employees receive 126 days of paid maternity leave in Ukraine, 70 days before the due date and 56 days after the birth. The mother is paid her full salary by social security. A parent or other adult who cares for a child may also take childcare leave until the child is three years old upon request. Pay during this leave is determined by government regulations. A father receives two weeks of unpaid leave.

Bonuses are common in Ukraine but not required.

Employees receive 24 days of paid annual leave in Ukraine.

In Ukraine, the public holidays are:

• New Year’s Day

• Orthodox Christmas

• International Women’s Day

• Orthodox Easter Monday

• Labor Day

• Victory Day

• Orthodox Pentecost

• Constitution Day

• Independence Day

• Ukrainian Defenders’ Day

• Catholic and Protestant Christmas

Ukraine has universal healthcare. Some employers offer private healthcare insurance as an employee benefit.

An employer may terminate an employee in Ukraine for business reasons that are not specific to the employee, such as liquidation, reorganization or performance reasons. Employees terminated for business reasons are entitled to two months of notice.