Unemployment benefits in Ukraine

Last updated

As the unemployed according to the art. 2 of the Ukrainian Law on Employment of Population are qualified citizens capable of work and of employable age, who, due to lack of a job, do not have any income or other earnings laid down by the law and are registered in the State Employment Center as looking for work, ready and able to start working. This definition also includes persons with disabilities who have not attained retirement age and are registered as seeking employment.

Contents

Who is entitled to unemployment benefits in Ukraine?

Only those citizens who are officially unemployed are entitled to unemployment benefits. According to part Ι art. 43 of the Law on Employment of Population this status is given to:

In order to get official unemployed status, one needs to register at the State Employment Center. Registration requires providing all necessary documentation together with the application to the nearest Employment Center.

Attendance of Employment Center and selection of the appropriate job

After being granted unemployed status, an individual is obliged to visit the Employment Center at least once every 30 calendar days while the workers of the Labour Exchange are trying to place them in a suitable job. A job is considered suitable if it matches the education, professional skills and work experience of the candidate.

If after a period of 6 months from registration it is not possible to find an appropriate job, the candidate would be encouraged to take acquire further education or skills or accept a job in a different field taking into account health, competencies and needs of the labor market. Employment Center staff would seek job placements for the candidate in both their old field and the new one in which they've retrained.

For disabled candidates, an appropriate job is selected according to their professional knowledge and skills and taking into account the medical certificate produced by an expert committee recommending conditions and character of work, the individual's rehabilitation program and the wishes of the disabled person regarding their working conditions.

Two-time refusal of the proposed job is a premise for deregistration from the Employment Center and deprivation of the official unemployed status. Repeat registration on the labor exchange is possible not earlier than in 90 calendar days since the deregistration day. Within this 3-month period the Employment Center will provide only consulting services, the payment of the unemployment assistance will not take place.

Skipping the appointed visiting of the Employment Center date without any valid reason causes payment reduction and/or deregistration from the labor exchange. According to the Decree of the Ukrainian Cabinet of Ministers No.198 from 20.03.2013 "About the order of registration, re-registration of unemployed individuals and introduction of job-seeking individuals", valid reasons for skipping a visit include an illness, death of the family members and relatives, care of ill child (under 14 years), or attending the hospital, court and law-enforcement authorities, conscription office, or other government body.

Assessment and payment of unemployment benefits

The start of benefits payments can vary. The financial assistance is assigned from the 8th day after registration with the Employment Center, as stated in the Law on Mandatory State Social Unemployment Insurance. It does not apply if the person voluntary resigned from the previous workplace without having substantial reasons for it (art. 38 of the Labour Code of Ukraine) or was dismissed on the basis of violation of labor discipline. In the mentioned cases the payments are made from the 91st day after registration.

Payment period

In line with the Ukrainian law the total duration of the unemployed assistance payment can not exceed 360 calendar days during within 2 years time. But a number of nuances exist which influence the duration of unemployment benefits provision. Hence the payment periods could be as follows:

Payment amount

Minimum monthly financial assistance amount in 2018 accounts for ₴544. The minimum amount is paid to the persons whose contribution period for the last calendar year is less than 6 months or was dismissed from the previous workplace for the reasons named in the points 3,4,7,8 art. 40, art.41 and 45 of the Labour Code of Ukraine, [1] also to migrants, graduates of educational institutions (without work experience) and demobilized soldiers from the army service.

Payments for unemployed people whose contribution period for the last 12 months before the registration on the labour exchange exceed half a year or who have work interruption for justifiable reasons (e.g. fixed-term military service, education, care of disabled persons in the first category and pensioner who is in need of permanent care) are calculated as proportional relation to their average monthly income in connection with their contribution period, but the benefit payment can not be less than the minimum financial assistance amount set for this category (₴1,280):

Number of years of qualifying periodAmount of financial assistance (in % of the wage)
less than 2 years50
from 2 to 6 years55
from 6 to 10 years60
more than 10 years70

Amount of the assistance payment smoothly decreases in accordance to unemployment duration. It means first 90 days an unemployed individual receives 100% of the appointed to him financial assistance, during the following 90 days - 80%, during the remaining period the payments amount to 70%.

The maximum amount of financial assistance can not exceed quadruple amount of the subsistence minimum for individuals capable of working - now it is ₴6,400.

Unemployment benefits in Ukraine are paid out by the State Social Security Fund in case of Unemployment (a part of the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine) and financed by employers. [2] An insured person pays 0.6% of its wages to the State Social Security Fund in case of Unemployment. [3] A self-employed can only contribute voluntarily. [3] The employer pays 1.6% of the total wage. [3] To be able to receive unemployment benefits one must be registered at an employment office, be able and willing to work, and have income less than the minimum wage (the minimum wage in Ukraine is ₴1,218). [3] The benefit may be reduced, suspended, or terminated after an discharge for violating work rules or for filing in a fraudulent claim. [3] The benefit is based on 50% of average earnings for persons with a 2 to 6-year career, 55% of average earnings for persons with a 6 to 10 years 60% of average earnings and if one has worked more than 10 years he will receive 70% of average earnings. [3] In the first 90 calendar days 100% of the benefit is paid, the next 90 calendar days 80% is paid and after that time period 70%. [3]

Being in the initial stages of economic reconstruction, social protection issues will be of primary importance in Ukraine. If their incomes are below the minimum living standard, pensioners and children, in particular, should receive targeted money allowances. The official latent unemployment rate is 20-30%. [4] The rapid small-scale privatization, privatization of unfinished construction projects (whose number is greater than 9,000), and the liberalization procedures required to start private businesses will reduce the amount of unemployment. Furthermore, Ukraine has adopted stricter rules for being able to register as unemployed as well as raised the unemployment benefit payments to its people. [5]  Current unemployment rate was 8.8% as of the year 2017. By providing support to workers during various employment-related risks, such as unemployment, social policies raise the reservation wage of workers. This allows workers to reject jobs that may not correspond to their skill qualifications. Thus, social policies indirectly support the investments in skills made by employers. [6]

Impacts of the Russo-Ukrainian War on unemployment

The Russo-Ukrainian War has caused a large and growing internal flow of people leaving the areas of warfare and needing to find new jobs and income in other parts of the country. It is estimated that up to 2 million jobs were lost since the start of the crisis and the unemployment rate rose from 7.6% in 2014 to 9.6 a year later. [7] The oblasts of Luhansk and Donetsk have seen the most drastic increases in unemployment rate leading to 57% of the population reportedly having difficulties meeting their essential needs. [8] Overcoming the high unemployment rates, particularly in war-torn areas, requires including the formation of the demand for certain specialists from the side of the government, the introduction of relevant education subsidies, as well as economic reforms to attract investments. [9]

Current structure of Ukrainian benefits program

Unemployment insurance, which provides unemployment benefits, lump-sum benefits for employees, vocational training, retraining and occupational development for the unemployed are several of the policies in place that assist those who are without a job. [10] Injured workers are able to use employment injury insurance, which provides benefits to injured persons as well as medical care. The current system of social security in Ukraine is financed by both the state and local budgets. [10] The Social Security Rate is a tax related with income charged to both companies and employees. It serves as an important source of income for the government because they help to pay for many programs such as welfare, health care, and many other benefits. [11] This will not be sustainable in the future as nearly half of Ukraine's able-bodied adults are not paying their taxes or social contributions, but still demand social services and benefits. [12]

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unemployment</span> People without work and actively seeking work

Unemployment, according to the OECD, is people above a specified age not being in paid employment or self-employment but currently available for work during the reference period.

Unemployment benefits, also called unemployment insurance, unemployment payment, unemployment compensation, or simply unemployment, are payments made by authorized bodies to unemployed people. In the United States, benefits are funded by a compulsory governmental insurance system, not taxes on individual citizens. Depending on the jurisdiction and the status of the person, those sums may be small, covering only basic needs, or may compensate the lost time proportionally to the previous earned salary.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Federal Insurance Contributions Act</span> US federal payroll tax to fund Social Security and Medicare

The Federal Insurance Contributions Act is a United States federal payroll contribution directed towards both employees and employers to fund Social Security and Medicare—federal programs that provide benefits for retirees, people with disabilities, and children of deceased workers.

A disability pension is a form of pension given to those people who are permanently or temporarily unable to work due to a disability.

The Hartz concept, also known as Hartz reforms or the Hartz plan, is a set of recommendations submitted by a committee on reforms to the German labour market in 2002. Named after the head of the committee, Peter Hartz, these recommendations went on to become part of the German government's Agenda 2010 series of reforms, known as Hartz I – Hartz IV. The committee devised thirteen "innovation modules", which recommended changes to the German labour market system. These were then gradually put into practice: The measures of Hartz I – III were undertaken between 1 January 2003, and 2004, while Hartz IV was implemented on 1 January 2005.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Labour government, 1964–1970</span> Government of the United Kingdom

Harold Wilson was appointed Prime Minister of the United Kingdom by Queen Elizabeth II on 16 October 1964 and formed the first Wilson ministry, a Labour government, which held office with a thin majority between 1964 and 1966. In an attempt to gain a workable majority in the House of Commons, Wilson called a new election for 31 March 1966, after which he formed the second Wilson ministry, a government which held office for four years until 1970.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welfare in New Zealand</span> Overview of welfare in New Zealand

Social welfare has long been an important part of New Zealand society and a significant political issue. It is concerned with the provision by the state of benefits and services. Together with fiscal welfare and occupational welfare, it makes up the social policy of New Zealand. Social welfare is mostly funded through general taxation. Since the 1980s welfare has been provided on the basis of need; the exception is universal superannuation.

Social security, in Australia, refers to a system of social welfare payments provided by Australian Government to eligible Australian citizens, permanent residents, and limited international visitors. These payments are almost always administered by Centrelink, a program of Services Australia. In Australia, most payments are means tested.

Unemployment benefits in Sweden are payments made by the state or other authorized bodies to unemployed people. They can be divided into a voluntary scheme with income-related compensation up to a certain level, or a comprehensive scheme that provides a lower level of basic support.

The welfare trap theory asserts that taxation and welfare systems can jointly contribute to keep people on social insurance because the withdrawal of means-tested benefits that comes with entering low-paid work causes there to be no significant increase in total income. According to this theory, an individual sees that the opportunity cost of getting a better paying job is too great for too little a financial return, and this can create a perverse incentive to not pursue a better paying job.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Social protection</span>

Social protection, as defined by the United Nations Research Institute for Social Development, is concerned with preventing, managing, and overcoming situations that adversely affect people's well-being. Social protection consists of policies and programs designed to reduce poverty and vulnerability by promoting efficient labour markets, diminishing people's exposure to risks, and enhancing their capacity to manage economic and social risks, such as unemployment, exclusion, sickness, disability, and old age. It is one of the targets of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goal 10 aimed at promoting greater equality.

Disability benefits are a form of financial assistance designed to support individuals who are unable to work due to a chronic illness, disease or injury. Disability benefits are typically provided through various sources, including government programs, group disability insurance provided by employers or associations or private insurance policies typically purchased through a licensed insurance agent or broker, or directly from an insurance company.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Welfare in Finland</span> Overview of welfare in Finland

Social security or welfare in Finland is very comprehensive compared to what almost all other countries provide. In the late 1980s, Finland had one of the world's most advanced welfare systems, which guaranteed decent living conditions to all Finns. Created almost entirely during the first three decades after World War II, the social security system was an outgrowth of the traditional Nordic belief that the state is not inherently hostile to the well-being of its citizens and can intervene benevolently on their behalf. According to some social historians, the basis of this belief was a relatively benign history that had allowed the gradual emergence of a free and independent peasantry in the Nordic countries and had curtailed the dominance of the nobility and the subsequent formation of a powerful right wing. Finland's history was harsher than the histories of the other Nordic countries but didn't prevent the country from following their path of social development.

Unemployment benefits in Spain are contributory and non-contributory. They are part of social security system in Spain and are managed by the State Public Employment Service (SEPE). Employers and employees contribute to the unemployment contingency fund and if an unemployed person fulfills certain criteria they can claim an allowance which is based on the time they have contributed and their average wage. A non-contributory benefit is also available to those who no longer receive a contributory benefit dependent on a maximum level of income.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Youth unemployment</span> Situation of young people who are willing to work but unable to find a job

Youth unemployment is the situation of young people, usually including those aged 15–24 years, being unable to find work. It is often considered separately from unemployment among the general population, because the reasons for which young people cannot find work are often distinct, and unemployment affects them differently. Unemployment rates for young people are higher than those of adults almost everywhere, but differ greatly between countries and regions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Unemployment insurance in the United States</span> Overview of unemployment insurance in the United States

Unemployment insurance in the United States, colloquially referred to as unemployment benefits, refers to social insurance programs which replace a portion of wages for individuals during unemployment. The first unemployment insurance program in the U.S. was created in Wisconsin in 1932, and the federal Social Security Act of 1935 created programs nationwide that are administered by state governments. The constitutionality of the program was upheld by the Supreme Court in 1937.

Welfare in Israel refers to the series of social welfare schemes in the Israeli government which are administered by the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, and by Israel's national social security agency, Bituah Leumi. All residents of Israel must pay insurance contributions in order to qualify for welfare.

Unemployment in Hungary measured by the Hungarian Central Statistical Office shows the rate of unemployed individuals out of the labor force. The European Union's own statistical office, Eurostat also makes reports and predictions about the Hungarian job market and the unemployment rate in the country. The KSH's most recent unemployment data shows the unemployment rate for men 15–74 to be 3.3% and 4.1% for women.

Denmark is a Scandinavian country in Europe consisting of the Jutland Peninsula and numerous islands. Typically, Denmark has had relatively low unemployment rates. Currently, Denmark has generous unemployment benefits in the form of private insurance funds. Unemployment benefits are typically payments made by the state or other authorized actors to unemployed persons.

References

  1. "Украина: Labor Code of Ukraine (Extract)". www.wipo.int (in Russian). Retrieved 2018-06-05.
  2. Ukraine: Movement without Change, Change without Movement by Marta Dyczok, Routledge, 2000, ISBN   978-90-5823-026-3 (page 94)
  3. 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Ukraine (Social Security Programs Throughout the World: Europe, 2014), Social Security Administration (2014)
  4. Pynzenyk, Victor (Spring 2018). "Ukraine- a reform agenda". Economic Policy. December 1994.
  5. Berenson, Marc (Spring 2018). "Better Social Welfare, Ukraine". IDS Bulletin. 42.
  6. Hall, Peter (2001). Varieties of Capitalism . Oxford University Press. pp.  186.
  7. Graziosi, Antonio. "More and better jobs for the Ukrainian people are key to recovery". International Labour Organization.
  8. Reach. "Ukraine: Local economy, trade relationships, and labour markets disrupted by conflict in eastern regions". Reach Initiative.
  9. "Unemployment rate increases in Ukraine due to poor state of economy and outdated education system". www.bakertilly.ua. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  10. 1 2 "ILO | Social Protection Platform | Social security profile | Ukraine". www.social-protection.org. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  11. "Ukraine-Income Tax". tradingeconomics.com. Retrieved 2018-05-04.
  12. Kramar, Oleksandr (22 December 2016). "Social schizophrenia". The Ukrainian Week . Retrieved 4 May 2018.