In Ukraine, it is proposed to legislatively enshrine the right of employees not to answer work phone calls, messages in messengers, and emails outside established working hours. The corresponding norm was included in the draft of the new Labor Code of Ukraine, reports UNN.
The Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights, Halyna Tretyakova, commenting to journalists on the proposed changes, stated that employers should not contact employees during non-working hours.
"The new Labor Code, by the way, prohibits the employer from contacting and calling a person, and writing them SMS and emails during non-working hours. And then it is already an agreement on the amount of remuneration and on how the person works," the parliamentarian stated.
The Chair of the Verkhovna Rada Committee on Social Policy and Protection of Veterans' Rights also added that the new Labor Code also contains a debatable point regarding overtime working hours and how much of it each person should have per year, so as not to neglect part of the sanitary norm.
Details
It should be noted that the right of citizens to informational peace is also advocated by the draft of the new Civil Code. It contains a corresponding article under number 337. The document was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on April 9, 2026. On April 28, the parliament supported the draft as a basis in the first reading. As of August 4, it is being prepared for the second reading.
A separate government draft of the Labor Code No. 14386, in turn, was registered in the Verkhovna Rada on January 15, 2026. However, on July 16, the document was withdrawn and removed from consideration.
Therefore, the information voiced to media representatives by Halyna Tretyakova may concern an improved or new draft law being prepared for the country.
What is the right to informational peace
According to the proposed provisions of the document, a person performing work or providing services will be able, outside working hours, to cease informational interaction with the employer or customer. This refers to the ability not to answer phone calls, messages in messengers, emails, and other work-related requests after the end of the working day, on weekends, or during rest.
An employee's refusal to maintain communication during this period should not be considered a violation of the terms of the contract, labor discipline, or failure to perform official duties.
An employee cannot be punished for lack of response
The draft law stipulates that a person's unwillingness to respond to work-related requests during non-working hours cannot be grounds for bringing them to responsibility.
In particular, an employee cannot be dismissed, deprived of a bonus, have payments reduced, have working conditions worsened, or have other negative measures applied solely because they did not respond to a message or phone call after the end of working hours.
The right to informational peace is proposed to be extended not only to full-time employees working under labor contracts. The norm may also apply to individuals performing work or providing services based on civil law contracts.
Will the employer be able to call after work
The draft law does not contain a direct prohibition on calling or writing to an employee during non-working hours. The document also does not provide for an automatic fine for the employer for each message or call after the end of the working day.
A violation of an employee's rights may arise if the employer punishes them for lack of response, demands constant availability without a corresponding condition in the contract, or applies other negative measures.
What exceptions are provided
The right to informational peace will not be absolute. The draft law provides for cases in which an employee may be obliged to remain in contact.
In particular, the corresponding obligation may be directly stipulated in an employment or civil law contract. This may apply to shifts, on-call work, emergency services, medical workers, critical infrastructure employees, or other professions where prompt communication is part of job duties.
Restrictions on the right to digital disconnection are also permitted in cases of threats to national security, public order, or people's lives or health.
Exceptions may be applied during emergency or accident situations, as well as in cases where it is necessary to urgently prevent dangerous consequences.
In addition, additional grounds for restricting such a right may be established by other laws and subordinate regulations.
What rules are currently in effect
Currently, Ukrainian legislation already provides for the right to a disconnection period for employees working remotely. In a remote work contract, the parties may define a period during which the employee has the right not to maintain information and telecommunications contact with the employer. During this time, the employee's absence from communication is not considered a violation of the employment contract or labor discipline.
For other employees, the general provisions of the Labor Code regarding working hours, work schedule, and the right to rest apply.
At the same time, the specific obligation of an employee to remain in contact may depend on the terms of the employment contract, job duties, shift schedules, and the specifics of the enterprise's operations.
During martial law, special rules for organizing labor relations also apply. For certain categories of employees, extended working hours, a special work schedule, or involvement in duties on weekends may be established.
Why the new norm sparked discussions
The initiative regarding the right to disconnect aligns with European practices of protecting employees from constant work communication and professional burnout.
Similar rules are already applied in a number of European countries. Their purpose is to clearly separate working time from a person's personal life and to prevent situations where an employee is effectively forced to be available to the employer around the clock.
At the same time, experts point out that the right to digital disconnection is proposed to be enshrined specifically in the Civil Code as a general personal non-property right.
This has raised concerns among media representatives and civil society organizations. They fear that officials, business representatives, or other public figures may try to use this norm as a basis for ignoring journalistic inquiries or restricting socially important communication.
Reminder
Trade unions support the update of the Labor Code but oppose lockouts and the narrowing of workers' rights.