In Ukrainian law there is no separate concept of a "13th salary" nor an obligation to pay under that name; Article 97 of the Labour Code of Ukraine (LCU) sets out the conditions for bonuses and other incentive payments.
No automatic one-month payment
The law does not require an employer to pay all employees an extra month’s salary ahead of the holidays. Additional payments, including annual bonuses, are established directly in the collective agreement or in other internal company documents.
If an annual award is provided for in the agreement and the employee has fulfilled the specified conditions, the employer is obliged to adhere to those provisions.
Who can receive an annual bonus
Employees of companies and institutions that have a system of annual bonuses can expect to receive an annual award. Bonuses are most often paid for work results, meeting targets or contributing to the company’s activities.
The circle of recipients and the criteria for payment are defined by the internal rules of the workplace and may differ by position and performance indicators.
Amount and method for calculating the annual award
There is no single amount for a "13th salary" in Ukraine: in some companies the annual award equals a month’s salary, in others it is smaller or larger. The final sum depends on the bonus rules and the employer’s financial capacity.
When calculating the payment, employers may take into account how long the employee actually worked during the year; if an employee joined part-way through the year, they may be paid only a proportion of the annual award. To determine entitlement to additional pay, check the company’s internal documents; if no information is available, the employee can contact the human resources or payroll department to clarify the plans for paying bonuses.
