Public holidays may be reinstated as days off: what the initiative for employees entails

Ukraine has established a number of public holidays of nationwide significance that are officially observed. These include Christmas, Easter, Trinity, Constitution Day of Ukraine, Independence Day of Ukraine, as well as other holidays and commemorative dates defined by law.

In peacetime, these days provided additional days off or non-working days, allowing citizens to rest in accordance with labor legislation and work time organization practices.

After the introduction of martial law in Ukraine, the application of certain provisions regarding holidays and non-working days was temporarily changed, particularly concerning the granting of additional days off. This decision is related to the need to ensure the functioning of the economy and state institutions under martial law conditions.

Legislative initiative to restore days off on holidays

A draft law No. 14403 has been registered in the Verkhovna Rada, proposing to restore the provision on days off on public holidays.

The draft law "On Amendments to Certain Legislative Acts of Ukraine Regarding the Restoration of the Provision on the Features of Establishing and Accounting for Working Time and Rest Time on Holidays and Non-Working Days" is under consideration.

The document provides for the return to the previous approach to regulating working time during holiday periods and the restoration of the practice of additional days off on designated public holidays.

Petition to the Cabinet of Ministers

Alongside the legislative initiative, a petition titled "On the Restoration of Official Days Off on Public Holidays for the Psychological Recovery of Citizens in Wartime" has been submitted to the government.

The authors of the petition call for a review of current restrictions and the return of official days off on public holidays.

The petition notes that Ukrainian society has been under conditions of full-scale war and constant psychological stress for over four years.

It specifically highlights the impact of regular nighttime attacks on Ukrainian cities, which cause not only physical destruction but also significant deterioration of the mental state of the population. This includes chronic stress, lack of sleep, and increased strain on the nervous system of millions of citizens.

Despite difficult conditions, Ukrainian citizens continue to work, ensure the functioning of the economy, and support the state.

The petition emphasizes that people go to work daily after nighttime shelling and staying in shelters, pay taxes, maintain stability on the home front, and actively donate to the needs of the Armed Forces of Ukraine.

The authors note that such efforts require significant physical and psychological resources.

Justification for the need for rest

According to the initiators, additional days off on public holidays should be considered not as a privilege but as a necessary element of recovery.

They believe that restoring days off will allow citizens to reduce stress levels, restore psycho-emotional state, spend more time with their families, and increase overall productivity.

The petition No. 41/010183-26ep also emphasizes that maintaining the psychological state of the population is an important component of the national security of the state.

The authors believe that restoring days off on public holidays will contribute to strengthening societal resilience and supporting its functional capacity during prolonged war.

Previously, "Judicial-Legal Newspaper" wrote that the Verkhovna Rada warns that the return of days off on holidays and changes in leave rules for military personnel may have both legal and budgetary consequences.

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