Granting Additional Leave to Certain Categories of Workers

On 21 October 2016, the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine published a Letter on granting leave to certain categories of workers. In this Letter, the Ministry considered the issue of granting additional leave to employees whose work is associated with increased neuro-emotional and intellectual load or performed in special natural geographical and geological conditions and conditions with increased health risk stipulated by clause 1 of the Article 8 of the Law of Ukraine “On leave”.

Thus, the work that is associated with increased neuro-emotional and intellectual load also includes work on electronic computing and computing machines (including personal computers). For performance of this work, the law provides for granting annual additional leave to employees for the special nature of work for up to 4 calendar days.

This provision of the Law of Ukraine “On leave” was often questioned by specialists, since the list of professions and positions, work on which is associated with increased neuro-emotional and intellectual load was approved in 1997, when technical specifications of personal computers were absolutely different.

However, due to the publication by the Ministry of Social Policy of Ukraine of the new Letter this provision of the Law of Ukraine “On leave” should be considered relevant today. In addition, it should be noted that the effect of this provision applies to all workers regardless of the position held (profession), who use personal computer in their work.