The Cabinet of Ministers of Ukraine has increased the maximum amount of compensation for salaries of employees of enterprises affected by Russian shelling. Under the state program "Fulcrum", employers can now receive up to 25,941 UAH per month per employee instead of the previous 17,294 UAH. Additionally, the unified social contribution (USC) is compensated.
The State Employment Service of Ukraine reported this on November 3. The changes were approved by Cabinet Resolution No. 1340 of October 28, 2026, and entered into force on October 31.
The maximum compensation was increased from two to three minimum wages. With the standard USC rate of 22%, the total state support for an employer can reach about 31.6 thousand UAH per employee per month.
At the same time, 25,941 UAH is the maximum amount of compensation for labor costs, not a guaranteed payment to every employee. The actual amount of assistance depends on their average salary and the conditions of forced downtime.
During downtime, the compensation is calculated as the difference between the employee's average monthly salary for the previous six months and the downtime pay. If the employment contract is suspended, the average monthly salary for the corresponding period is used for the calculation.
The government also changed the procedure for determining average earnings. Now, certain one-time payments are not taken into account in the calculation, including material assistance, compensations, travel allowances, sick leave, and vacation pay.
Employers whose property was damaged or destroyed as a result of Russian aggression after January 1, 2026, can receive support. To participate in the program, it is necessary to confirm the caused damage, formalize downtime or suspension of employment contracts, and have a plan for resuming operations.
Assistance is provided for employees who had an employment relationship with the employer for at least six months before the work stoppage. Compliance with USC payment requirements is also necessary. The enterprise must not have debts on wages, taxes, and mandatory payments.
State support is provided for up to three calendar months. If the employer implements the plan's measures for resuming operations, payments can be extended to six months.
To receive compensation, it is necessary to submit an application and necessary documents to the employment center at the place of business activity within 90 calendar days after formalizing downtime or suspension of employment contracts. The decision to provide assistance is made within ten working days.
The new rules also allow payments to continue after enterprise relocation. In that case, the compensation is transferred by the regional employment center that initially made the decision on its assignment.
According to the State Employment Service, 38 employers have already used the "Fulcrum" program. The largest share of participants is from enterprises in the electric power industry, manufacturing, and healthcare institutions.
Based on materials from: State Employment Service of Ukraine
