Mobbing under control: Parliament authorizes inspections at enterprises
16 April 09:42
The Verkhovna Rada has amended the Law of Ukraine “On the Organization of Labor Relations under Martial Law” and lifted the ban on inspections and fines against employers in case of mobbing of employees. The adoption of this law was reported on the parliament’s website, Komersant ukrainskyi reports.
As you know, the law on preventing and combating mobbing came into force in December 2022, but due to Russia’s full-scale invasion, the Law “On the Organization of Labor Relations under Martial Law” was adopted, which banned unscheduled labor inspections, except in certain cases. And now this ban has been canceled.
What do the amendments provide for?
The amendments stipulate that during the period of martial law, the central executive body implementing the state policy on supervision and control over compliance with labor legislation and its territorial bodies may, at the request of an employee or trade union, carry out unscheduled measures of state supervision (control) over compliance with labor legislation by legal entities and individuals using hired labor.
The subject of the inspections will be compliance with the law, as well as detection of facts of unformed labor relations, mobbing and the legality of termination of employment contracts.
As a reminder, the State Labor Service of Ukraine is the central executive body that implements the state policy on supervision and control over compliance with labor legislation. Its inspectors are authorized to conduct inspections.
What is mobbing and how widespread is it in Ukraine?
Ukrainian legislation defines the term “mobbing” (harassment) as systematic long-term intentional actions or omissions by an employer, individual employees or a group of employees of a labor collective aimed at humiliating the honor and dignity of an employee, his or her business reputation, including with the aim of acquiring, changing or terminating his or her labor rights and obligations, manifested in the form of psychological and/or economic pressure, including through the use of electronic communications, creating a tense, hostile, offensive environment for an employee.
According to the author of the draft law, member of the Parliamentary Committee on Education, Science and Innovation Yulia Hryshyna, mobbing is a violation of human rights in labor relations that manifests itself through psychological, economic and other violence with the aim of humiliating human dignity. According to her, men and women, experienced professionals and young workers suffer from mobbing in the workplace.
Yulia Hryshyna also cited statistics showing that in 2023, the State Labor Service received 553 complaints about signs of mobbing, in 2024 – 583, and in 2025 – 76.
What is the punishment for violators?
on December 23, 2022, a law amending the Code of Ukraine on Administrative Offenses came into force, according to which mobbing (harassment) of an employee entails a fine of UAH 850 to UAH 1,700 for citizens or community service for a period of 20 to 30 hours, and a fine of UAH 1,700 to UAH 3,400 for individual entrepreneurs who use hired labor, officials, or community service for a period of 30 to 40 hours.
If the fact of mobbing is recognized by a court, the employee is entitled to compensation for moral damages and/or treatment costs for disability due to psychological pressure, as well as to terminate the employment relationship within the time limit set by the court with severance pay of at least three average monthly salaries.
How other countries counteract mobbing
Many companies in Germany, for example, establish rules at the local level to prevent mobbing and combat stress at work. In Germany, the Association for Combating Psychosocial Stress and Mobbing was established in 1995.
In Italy, protection against mobbing is regulated by constitutional and civil law. Article 35 of the Italian Constitution protects labor in all its forms and manifestations.
It is here that the term “mobbing” was first used in judicial practice. In 1999, the Court of Turin considered the case of an employee who claimed compensation for the damage he suffered due to depression caused by harassment and humiliation by his supervisor.
