Flexible employment and protection of dignity: what changes does the draft Labour Code provide

The draft Labour Code of Ukraine introduces new provisions that expand opportunities for legal flexible employment while strengthening the protection of workers’ dignity. The document establishes clear rules for new work formats and aims to adapt labour relations to modern conditions.

According to Daria Marchak, Deputy Minister of Economy, Environment and Agriculture, the introduction of such approaches is a response to structural changes in the labour market caused by the war, labour migration, and the spread of remote work formats.

One of the key tools for increasing people’s participation in the labour market is flexible forms of employment. The document directly regulates remote and home-based work, flexible schedules, seasonal and project-based employment. At the same time, labour guarantees remain in place regardless of the work format, including the right to pay, rest and holidays, safe working conditions, and the ability to protect rights in the event of a dispute.

The draft Labour Code provides for an expansion of the types of employment contracts and the possibility of combining their terms by mutual agreement of the parties. This allows individual needs of workers to be taken into account – including those with disabilities, parents with young children, students – as well as the needs of employers related to seasonality or the project nature of work.

The document also establishes clear and understandable rules for the termination of employment relations for the first time. It provides for mandatory advance written notice of dismissal, as well as the possibility of replacing the notice period with monetary compensation by agreement of the parties. This approach will help reduce the number of labour disputes and provide workers with a predictable protection mechanism, while leaving employers with clear and understandable rules.

A separate emphasis in the draft is placed on protecting workers’ dignity. The draft code strengthens guarantees against discrimination, mobbing, and harassment, and enshrines the employer’s obligation to respond to relevant reports and apply internal procedures for their consideration. At the same time, safeguards against abuse are provided – decisions must be made solely on the basis of facts and in compliance with established procedures, ensuring a balance of interests for all parties to the employment relationship.

At the same time, the draft provides that, regardless of the date of its adoption, the provisions of the Labour Code will come into force six months after the termination or cancellation of martial law. This approach allows employers, workers, and relevant institutions to prepare in advance for the introduction of the new rules.

Background

On 7 January 2026, the Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine submitted to the Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine the draft Labour Code of Ukraine, prepared by the Ministry of Economy, Environment and Agriculture. The document is intended to replace the outdated framework of labour legislation from 1971 and is part of Ukraine’s European integration commitments, in particular by implementing more than 30 EU directives and ILO conventions (working time, transparent and predictable working conditions, work-life balance, occupational safety, etc.).