Last updated on January 19, 2024.

Paid Time Off (PTO) in Ukraine

Vacation (Annual Leave) Quota

24 days

Regular employees in Ukraine must be offered at least 24 paid vacation days.

This standard vacation entitlement is longer than the usual 20 days, as it is in most leave laws in European countries. Only a few countries provide more vacation days, namely, the United Kingdom leave laws, France, and Finland.

Employers are obligated to provide more vacation days for the following categories:

• 56: Workers in Education
• 30 days: Workers that belong to the 1st or 2nd disability category
• 26 days: Workers that belong to the 3rd disability category
• 31 days: minors (under 18)

Also, any employee engaged in difficult and hazardous occupations and the mother of two or more children who are younger than 14 years old. Vacation entitlement for seasonal workers depends on their working duration.

Accrual Rate

Vacation accrues monthly at a rate of 2 days.

Eligibility

In order to be eligible for vacation, an employee must have completed 6 months of employment at the employer.

Carry Over

Unused vacation days can be carried over to be taken in the following year.

Sick Leave in Ukraine

4 months

Employees in Ukraine are entitled to partially paid sick leave, as follows:

• 4 months: For most diseases, injuries, and temporary disabilities

• 5 months: Recurring condition and complications of the already existing disease

• 10 months: Tuberculosis

To be eligible, an employee must have worked for 6 or more months at the company and made contributions to the fund of social insurance. Also, they must present a medical certificate.

An employee may be subject to termination after taking sick leave continuously for a period of 4 months.

Payout of Sick Leave

Compensation for sick leave depends on its duration.

• The first five days are paid by the employer at 100% of the salary.
• 6 or more days: paid by the government at 50–100% of the salary. The exact compensation varies depending on the duration of the employee’s contributions to social insurance.

Maternity and Paternity Leave

Maternity Leave in Ukraine

126 days (18 weeks)

A pregnant employee in Ukraine is entitled to receive 126 days of fully paid maternity leave if the birth of the child goes without complications. If there are complications or multiple births, this leave is 140 days.

Maternity leave is to be taken as follows:

• 70 days prepartum;

• 56 days postpartum.

Following the maternity leave, a mother may take parental leave.

Payout of Maternity Leave

A pregnant employee on maternity leave is compensated 100% of earnings by the Ukrainian Social Insurance Fund.

Paternity Leave in Ukraine

2 unpaid weeks

There’s no law in Ukraine that covers paid paternity leave. An employee who has become a father is entitled only to two weeks of unpaid paternity leave.

In addition to this, a father (or a mother) can take child care leave.

Parental Leave

Up to 3 years.

After the end of maternity leave, on of the parents may take unpaid child care (parental) leave. Parental leave may be taken until the child is 3, so this leave may last up to 3 years. An employee must present the child’s birth certificate and proof confirming that the child’s other parent has not taken childcare leave at their own workplace.

Payout of Child Care Leave

Child care leave is funded by social security at a rate determined by the government.

Bereavement Leave in Ukraine

Up to 7 days

An employee may take leave for a maximum of 7 days following the death of a close family member.

Jury Duty Leave in Ukraine

There is no legal definition of jury duty leave.

Military Leave in Ukraine

There is no law defining military leave.

Voting Leave in Ukraine

There is no law defining voting leave.

Unpaid Personal Time Off

15 days

Employees may be allowed to take unpaid leave, but this must be agreed upon with the employer. This leave is usually for family-related reasons or other personal reasons. The length of this leave is to be decided through mutual agreement between the employee and employer. In any case, this leave should not be more than 15 days annually.

Public Holidays in Ukraine for 2024

12 public holidays

Ukraine observes 12 legal national holidays annually. Orthodox Easter, Whit Monday, and Christmas are each observed over two days. These national holidays are paid and come in addition to vacation days. Being an Orthodox Christian, Ukraine’s religious holidays are celebrated following the Julian calendar, although Christmas is celebrated on December 25, the same as Catholics and Protestant churches.

A complete list of official holidays celebrated in Ukraine:

Sources

1. Local Laws & Regulations, https://www.atlashxm.com/en/countries/ukraine

2. Payroll and Benefits Guide Ukraine, https://www.papayaglobal.com/countrypedia/country/ukraine/

3. Definitive Guide to Hiring in Ukraine, https://www.globalexpansion.com/countrypedia/Ukraine

Check out our Leave Laws page to learn more about laws in various countries.