Starting April 1, Ukraine’s sick leave rules are changing: what you need to know

Effective April 1, 2026, updated rules for issuing, verifying, and monitoring sick leave certificates will take effect in Ukraine. These changes are provided for by Law No. 4683-IX.

The reform does not change the amount of benefits, but significantly strengthens oversight and accountability within the system.

Key changes:

• doctors will be held financially liable for unjustified sick leave;
• The Pension Fund’s authority to conduct inspections is expanded;

• The use of paper sick leave certificates is being clarified.

  
  Inspections will become multi-tiered. Specifically:

• sick leave certificates may be verified by doctors from other regions;
• the system will automatically track suspicious numbers of sick leave certificates;
• The Pension Fund will gain the right to thoroughly review medical reports.

Paper sick notes:
These remain only an exception—in cases of technical failures, for part-time workers, or for sole proprietors. The electronic sick note remains the primary document.

Liability:
If a sick leave certificate is issued without justification:

• the Pension Fund may demand reimbursement;
• the doctor or medical facility must reimburse the payments;
• in case of refusal, the funds will be recovered through the courts.

What this means:
For employees, the rules for receiving payments remain unchanged, but additional checks and delays are possible.

It is important for employers to verify sick leave more carefully through the PFU system, especially paper documents.