Employers Await Unplanned Inspections: A New Law Signed.

The Verkhovna Rada of Ukraine approved bill No. 11044 on April 15, allowing the State Labor Service to conduct unplanned inspections of employers regarding complaints of workplace mobbing (harassment) against employees, including during the period of martial law. This decision was made due to the increasing number of citizen complaints regarding violations of their labor rights. The law of December 23, 2022, provided for fines for citizens for mobbing ranging from 850 to 1700 hryvnias or community service from 20 to 30 hours. For individual entrepreneurs and officials, the penalties were stricter, with a maximum fine ranging from 1700 to 3400 hryvnias or community service from 30 to 40 hours. However, the conduct of such inspections was blocked during the martial law. Yuliya Gryshina, a member of parliament and the author of the bill, explained the need for these changes: 'I have repeatedly emphasized the necessity of unblocking the conduct of unplanned state supervision measures based on employee or union complaints regarding mobbing during the martial law regime.' According to the co-author of the bill, head of the relevant committee Halyna Tretyakova, many complaints regarding cases of mobbing in the workplace have been received by the authorities, prompting legislative changes. Mobbing is a violation of human rights in labor relations through psychological and economic pressure aimed at humiliating the employee and forcing their dismissal. According to the updated version of Article 16 of the Law of Ukraine 'On the Organization of Labor Relations in Conditions of Martial Law,' the State Labor Service now has the opportunity to conduct unplanned inspections based on complaints about such violations. Legislators stipulated that such inspections may not be carried out simultaneously with inspections on other issues. Fines for bullying in schools may increase tenfold.