The National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine is categorically against the abolition of guarantees provided for by law for persons with disabilities

On April 9, 2025, the National Assembly of People with Disabilities of Ukraine (NAPD) joined a coordination meeting with the Ministry of Economy of Ukraine dedicated to discussing the wording of the draft Labor Code of Ukraine.

The reason for the participation of the NAPD was the concern that the Ministry of Economy is initiating the abolition of almost two dozen guarantees for people with disabilities and parents of children with disabilities, which are currently provided for by the current Labor Code of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine "On Vacations".

At the same time, the draft Labor Code of Ukraine provides that, at the request of an employee, in particular a person with a disability, a participant in hostilities, a war veteran and his family members, a person who suffered as a result of the Chernobyl disaster and his family members, and other categories of employees, information confirming their legal status and providing grounds for their exercise of the right to state guarantees provided for by special legislation shall be included in the employment contract.

At the same time, there are no guarantees in special legislation, and the draft Labor Code of Ukraine does not make any relevant changes to this special legislation.

Director of the Department of the Ministry of Economy, Oleg Anatoliyovych Hnatiuk, following the results of the meeting with the NAIU, promised:

1. Conduct additional analysis of all guarantees that have not been transferred from the current Labor Code of Ukraine and the Law of Ukraine “On Vacations” to the draft Labor Code of Ukraine
2. Propose amendments to other special laws, into which it is possible to integrate appropriate guarantees.
3. Provide compensatory mechanisms for guarantees that will not be transferred anywhere. для гарантій, які не будуть нікуди перенесені.
4. Identify guarantees that are irrelevant, in the opinion of the Ministry of Economy , and provide reasoned justifications for their cancellation.

The NAPD emphasized that, in accordance with Article 22 of the Constitution of Ukraine, when adopting new laws, the scope and content of existing rights and freedoms of citizens shall not be narrowed, and also pointed out that the Concluding Observations of the UN Committee on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities of September 5, 2024 stated the insufficiency of measures and policies to promote employment and create inclusive workplaces for persons with disabilities in the draft Labor Code of Ukraine.

We hope for further cooperation with the Ministry of Economy, the inadmissibility of violations of the Constitution of Ukraine, and the ministry's fulfillment of its promises.

The latest written comments of the NAPD, submitted to the Ministry of Economy, are attached.