Ukrainian government increases compensation for businesses employing displaced persons

The Ukrainian government, the Cabinet of Ministers, has extended the duration and increased the compensation covering labor costs for the employment of internally displaced persons (IDPs) and IDPs with disabilities for employers. 

This decision was made by the Cabinet meeting on December 27, Rubryka reports, citing the Ministry of Economy's press service.

"The government has extended the total duration of compensation from two to three months for employers hiring internally displaced persons (IDPs) and up to six months for employing IDPs with disabilities. The amount of compensation will also change," said Tetiana Berezhna, Deputy Minister of Economy of Ukraine.

Previously, compensation was paid based on a monthly amount of ₴6,700. However, as Berezhna explained, it is now tied to the minimum wage, which will be ₴7,100 UAH starting from January 1 and ₴8,000 from April 1.

So, if an employer hires an IDP next year, they will be eligible for compensation up to ₴24,000 for such an individual.

If the hire is an IDP with a disability, the payments can go up to ₴48,000 for each corresponding employee.

As reported, in August 2023, the government introduced a program to compensate employers for arranging workplaces for people with disabilities. By mid-December, employers had already received 41 compensations for workplace arrangements totaling over ₴2 million. The average compensation amount is ₴55,000.

In 2024, the state plans to assist employers in arranging at least 10,000 jobs for people with disabilities, allocating ₴660 million for this program.

In other news, the Integration Space has been opened in Rivne to assist internally displaced persons and people affected by Russia's aggression against Ukraine.

It was also reported that Germany allocated an additional €17 million for preferential housing loans for internally displaced persons.

Rubryka also shared the experience of the creative space "Kredents," which transformed from a creative hub in Yasynia into a community humanitarian hub, bringing together locals and IDPs. Read more in our article: Creative space "Kredents": how to unite migrants and locals through learning new skills.