The Council Committee supported the bill on retroactive dismissal of employees
This was reported by The Public with reference to the Judicial and Legal Newspaper (sud.ua). On 18 February
, the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights considered draft law No. 14385, which proposes to change the procedure for organising labour relations in temporarily occupied territories and in areas of hostilities.
The document provides employers with the right to dismiss employees whose workplaces are located in temporarily occupied territories from the day following the date of inclusion of the relevant territory in the list of temporarily occupied territories, including retroactively.
The draft law also allows for the suspension of employment contracts on the basis of an employer's order if the territory has the status of an active combat zone or temporary occupation.
In addition, it is proposed to exempt employers from the obligation to comply with certain provisions of labour legislation and occupational health and safety, in particular regarding working hours, rest periods, safe working conditions and medical examinations.
The Verkhovna Rada's Human Rights Commissioner commented on the draft law, noting that the document regulates labour relations in temporarily occupied territories and in combat zones in the same way, even though working conditions there are significantly different.
The National Agency of Ukraine for Civil Service also pointed out that the draft law aims to protect employers but does not contain sufficient mechanisms to protect the rights of employees.
Following its review, the Verkhovna Rada Committee recommended that the draft law be adopted in its first reading.
