What is the employer's liability for non-payment of wages during martial law?

Employers may be held liable for non-payment of wages in the following ways:

1. Financial liability: Employers may be subject to fines for non-payment or incomplete payment of wages. Fines are imposed by the State Labor Service of Ukraine after inspections. The amount of the fine is usually three times the minimum wage for each violation.

2. Administrative liability: Penalties for violation of payment deadlines may be imposed by a court decision based on a protocol drawn up by the state labor inspector.

3. Criminal liability: If an employer intentionally fails to pay wages for more than one month, they can be held criminally liable, including fines, corrective labor, or even imprisonment.

The imposition of liability does not relieve the employer of the obligation to pay the wages owed.

During martial law, certain mitigations and exemptions from liability are possible for employers if they are unable to make payments for objective reasons, such as due to hostilities or other force majeure.