The Ministry of Economy has completed the preparation of a new Labor Code: what changes to expect
Photo: Cherkasy Oblast Council

The Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture has completed the preparation of a draft of the new Labor Code, which is being prepared for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers, stated Deputy Prime Minister Tetiana Berezhna during the presentation of the draft Employment Strategy until 2030.

"The Ministry of Economy is finalizing the draft of the new Labor Code, which has undergone all necessary formats of discussion and approval – with employers, trade unions, the expert community, and international partners," Berezhna noted.

According to her, following the consultations, the document was finalized and is now being prepared for submission to the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine, after which it will be submitted to the Verkhovna Rada. She emphasized that this is an important step towards forming a modern and understandable system of labor relations in Ukraine.

The draft of the new Labor Code provides for:

  • digitalization of key procedures;
  • introduces a transparent mechanism for determining the minimum wage;
  • expands the list of types of employment contracts;
  • strengthens the protection of workers, in particular those from vulnerable groups;
  • implements key EU directives in the field of labor.

The project also introduces clear and uniform rules for flexible employment formats – remote work, flexible hours, and part-time employment. It also strengthens social protection for employees with family responsibilities, veterans, and persons with disabilities, standardizes requirements for electronic recording of working conditions, and makes inspection procedures more predictable for employers.

A separate set of changes is aimed at combating undeclared work, regulating modern forms of employment, and simplifying business interaction with state supervisory bodies.

"The new Labor Code should become the legal basis for the implementation of the 'Obriy' Employment Strategy and Labor Market Reform project. It combines European standards of worker protection with the flexibility needed by businesses and creates the preconditions for expanding formal employment, increasing labor productivity, and better protecting human rights in Ukraine, including labor rights," emphasized Daria Marchak, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment, and Rural Affairs of Ukraine.

  • On January 5, 2024, it became known that the Ministry of Economy had prepared a draft new Labour Code instead of the Labor Code, and begins its discussion with all interested parties.