The Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers has approved changes to the employee reservation process, aiming to enhance transparency and fairness within the system. This decision, announced by the Ministry of Economy, Environment, and Agriculture on May 22, seeks to protect against potential abuses while balancing defense needs with the operational requirements of critical enterprises.
According to the new regulations, which apply to organizations deemed essential for the economy during martial law, the minimum salary requirement for reserving employees has been raised. To qualify as a critical enterprise, organizations must now demonstrate that their average salary is at least three times the minimum wage, totaling 25,941 UAH.
For businesses located in frontline areas, a more flexible approach remains in place, with the salary threshold set at 21,618 UAH, equivalent to 2.5 times the minimum wage. This adjustment acknowledges the unique challenges faced by enterprises in these regions, as specified in a directive from the Ministry of Development.
The government has also refined the criteria for counting employees within the reservation quota. Employees who already have deferrals from conscription under Article 23 of the Law on Mobilization Preparation and Mobilization, as well as part-time workers, will now be included in the quota based on only one employment position. This change is intended to prevent artificial inflation of the number of employees a company can reserve, ensuring that the quota aligns more closely with actual business needs for retaining essential personnel.
In addition, the Ministry of Economy plans to revise the criteria for determining what constitutes a critical enterprise. Ministries, central executive bodies, and regional military administrations are expected to reapprove their criteria for criticality within a month, in coordination with the Ministry of Defense and the Ministry of Economy. These criteria will assess whether a business is vital for the economy, defense capability, security, or meeting basic population needs.
Factors such as the enterprise’s role in fulfilling state tasks, providing critical services, producing necessary goods, supporting infrastructure, and maintaining employment will be considered. Furthermore, the government intends to review the status of all previously designated critical enterprises within three months following the implementation of these changes.
Since the onset of the full-scale Russian invasion of Ukraine on February 24, martial law has been declared, and a general mobilization has been initiated.
The Ukrainian government has updated its employee reservation procedures to enhance transparency and align with wartime needs. The revisions include increased salary thresholds and refined criteria for determining critical enterprises, reflecting the ongoing challenges posed by the conflict.
Source: Міністерство економіки, довкілля та сільського господарства