In brief
- Onboarding is the process of introducing a new employee to their role. The term itself does not appear in legislation, but there is a mandatory legal minimum: nine points of information under Article 29 of the Labour Code that must be provided before the employee starts work.
- Employment formalities: a person may only be allowed to start work after an employment contract has been concluded, an order has been issued and a notification has been sent to the State Tax Service (Article 24 of the Labour Code, CMU Resolution No. 413).
- Health and safety: induction training upon recruitment is mandatory and is provided at the employer’s expense (Article 18 of Law No. 2694-XII).
- Probationary period: this is normally up to 3 months (up to 6 months subject to agreement with the trade union; for manual workers, up to 1 month). During martial law, a probationary period may be imposed on any category of employees (Law No. 2136-IX).
- On this page: a step-by-step onboarding checklist and specific rules for remote workers.
What is onboarding and what does the law require?
Onboarding is the structured process of introducing a new employee to their role: formalising their employment, familiarising them with working conditions, the workplace, the team, as well as training and support until the end of the probationary period. The term originates from HR practice. There is no statutory definition in Ukrainian legislation, nor is there a formal obligation on the employer to ‘integrate staff’.
At the same time, the key aspect of onboarding is not a matter of goodwill, but a legal requirement. The Labour Code of Ukraine (LCU) and the Law ‘On Occupational Health and Safety’ No. 2694-XII oblige the employer to complete three mandatory steps before the first working day or on the first day itself:
Register the employee and notify the State Tax Service before they start work (Article 24 of the Labour Code).
Provide information on working conditions covering the 9 mandatory points (Article 29 of the Labour Code).
Provide health and safety training at the employer’s expense (Article 18 of the Law ‘On Health and Safety at Work’).
Everything else — appointing a mentor, sending a welcome letter, drawing up a training plan — is organised by the company at its own discretion. Focus the process on the mandatory minimum: this will help to address both legal risks and the employee’s induction needs simultaneously.
Queries such as ‘onboarding in an app’, ‘onboarding on a website’ or ‘onboarding at a bank’ relate to product design and customer verification. This article deals exclusively with the induction of new employees.
Before the first working day: registration and notification to the State Tax Service
Article 24 of the Labour Code expressly prohibits allowing an employee to start work without the following three consecutive steps:
A signed employment contract.
An order or directive issued by the employer.
Notification to the tax authority of the employee’s recruitment.
Therefore, a ‘first day on a trial basis’ without official documentation constitutes a direct breach of the law, rather than a soft start to the onboarding process.
The procedure for notifying the State Tax Service is governed by Cabinet of Ministers Resolution No. 413 of 17 June 2015 (as amended):
Deadline: strictly before the employee actually starts work.
Where to submit: to the territorial office of the State Tax Service at the place where the single contribution payer is registered.
How to submit: using the form in Annex 1, in electronic form with a qualified electronic signature (QES). If the submission is made via the ‘Obriy’ Unified Electronic Administration System (UEAS), the notification is transmitted automatically. If this is not technically possible, submit it in paper form with an electronic copy.
Form of the contract. Under Article 24 of the Labour Code, an employment contract is generally concluded in writing (and for certain categories, it must be in writing). During martial law, Article 2 of Law No. 2136-IX allows the parties to determine the form of the contract by mutual agreement. However, a written contract is more convenient for onboarding, as it clearly sets out the terms and conditions with which you familiarise the new employee.
Information under Article 29 of the Labour Code: 9 mandatory points
Article 29 of the Labour Code obliges the employer to inform the employee, in an agreed manner, of the following details before they start work:
| No. | What to inform the employee about | How to cover this during onboarding |
|---|---|---|
| 1 | Place of work, job role and start date | Send a job offer letter specifying the address, role and start date |
| 2 | Workstation and equipment required for the job | Prepare the workstation, equipment and access credentials for the first day of work |
| 3 | Rights, responsibilities and terms of employment | Familiarise the employee with the job description and have them sign to confirm they have read it |
| 4 | Presence of harmful and hazardous workplace factors | Provide information against signature (if such factors are present in the workplace) |
| 5 | Internal work regulations, working hours, collective agreement | Familiarise the employee with the relevant documents, provide a work schedule and the manager’s contact details |
| 6 | Briefing on health and safety, workplace hygiene and fire safety | Conduct an induction on the first day and make an entry in the logbook |
| 7 | Organisation of vocational training | Provide a training plan for the probationary period |
| 8 | Duration of leave, conditions and rate of pay | Explain the salary structure, payment dates and the procedure for granting leave |
| 9 | Notice periods for termination of the employment contract | Include the relevant clause in the contract and the new employee handbook |
This list serves as a ready-made framework for the first week of onboarding. Ensure you retain confirmation that each point has been acknowledged: a physical signature, an electronic signature (KEP) or a written response from the employee via email.
Health and safety induction on the first day
In accordance with Article 18 of the Law ‘On Health and Safety at Work’ No. 2694-XII, employees, upon recruitment and whilst carrying out the relevant activities, must receive, at the employer’s expense, instruction and training on health and safety, the provision of first aid to accident victims, and rules of conduct in the event of an accident.
For onboarding, this means: training is mandatory on the first day for any role, including for office staff, not just for production staff. The costs of providing this training must not be passed on to the new employee or deducted from their wages.
Onboarding and the probationary period
The law does not specify the duration of the onboarding process itself, but it does set out the timeframe for assessing an employee’s suitability — the probationary period. It makes sense to plan the onboarding programme so that, by the end of this period, you have sufficient information to make a final decision.
| Category | Maximum probationary period | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| General rule | up to 3 months | Article 27 of the Labour Code |
| Specific cases, subject to agreement with the trade union | up to 6 months | Article 27 of the Labour Code |
| Workers | up to 1 month | Article 27 of the Labour Code |
| Martial law: conscripts at critically important enterprises in the defence industry | no more than 45 calendar days | Part 3 of Article 2 of Law No. 2136-IX |
How to formalise
The probationary period is established by agreement between the parties and must be specified in the order (instruction) on recruitment (Article 26 of the Labour Code). If no such condition is included in the order, the employee is deemed to have been hired without a probationary period. During the probationary period, all labour legislation (remuneration, leave, health and safety, etc.) applies in full to the new employee.
Days of absence
Days on which the employee did not actually work, regardless of the reasons, are not counted towards the probationary period (Article 27 of the Labour Code). Time spent on sick leave or on unpaid leave will postpone the end date of the probationary period — bear this in mind and adjust the onboarding schedule accordingly.
Outcome of the probationary period
If an employee is not suitable for the post they hold, the employer has the right to terminate the employment contract during the probationary period, provided they give the employee three days’ written notice (Article 28 of the Labour Code). If the probationary period has ended and the employee continues to work, they are deemed to have passed the probationary period.
A debriefing meeting to review the onboarding process should be held a few days before the end of the probationary period, rather than after it has ended.
Who is exempt from the probationary period and the nuances of martial law
Under normal circumstances, Article 26 of the Labour Code prohibits the imposition of a probationary period on certain categories of employees (persons under 18 years of age; young professionals; pregnant women; single mothers with children under 14; internally displaced persons; persons with whom a fixed-term contract of up to 12 months is concluded, etc.).
During martial law, a special provision applies: in accordance with Part 2 of Article 2 of Law No. 2136-IX, a probationary period may be imposed on any category of employees. Consequently, the restrictions of Article 26 of the Labour Code do not apply during this period.
A nuance regarding IDPs: internally displaced persons were added to the protected list under Article 26 of the Labour Code by Law No. 4170-IX whilst martial law was in force. There are no official clarifications regarding the relationship between these provisions; therefore, should a probationary period be established for IDPs, the potential legal risks should be assessed.
Onboarding a remote worker
For a remote working contract, Part 2 of Article 29 of the Labour Code permits the mandatory list of information to be reduced to points 1, 3, 5, 7–9 (place of work, duties, rights and conditions, working hours, training, leave, remuneration and notice periods for dismissal). In addition, the employer shall, where necessary, provide guidance on the use of equipment and personal protective equipment.
Information can be provided in the form of remote induction, and familiarisation with documents can take place via electronic means using a qualified electronic signature.
For remote onboarding:
Schedule a video briefing and prepare a set of documents for electronic signature before the first working day.
Send the necessary technology and equipment in advance.
HR vacancies on Injobe
On Injobe, in the category ‘Recruitment, HR’, there is a vacancy for ‘HR Manager/HR Lead’ from the company IDMedia with a salary of $555–888. If you’re looking for someone to set up onboarding at your company, post a vacancy in this category or browse all vacancies.
Onboarding checklist for employers
Before the first day
- Agree on the terms and conditions of employment and the existence and duration of the probationary period (Articles 26–27 of the Labour Code).
- Conclude an employment contract and issue an order of appointment (specifying the probationary period).
- Submit a notification to the State Tax Service in accordance with the form set out in Annex 1 to Resolution No. 413 (prior to the start of work).
- Send the employee the information required under Article 29 of the Labour Code (job offer, terms and conditions, working arrangements, remuneration).
- Prepare the workplace, equipment and access (or send equipment to a remote worker).
First day
- Conduct an induction on health and safety and record it in the logbook.
- Familiarise the new employee with the job description, internal regulations and the collective agreement, and have them sign to confirm they have read them.
- Inform the new employee, against signature, about any harmful workplace factors (if applicable).
- Introduce the new employee to the manager and the team, and assign a mentor.
During the probationary period
- Initiate and monitor the professional training plan (clause 7 of Article 29 of the Labour Code).
- Hold regular one-to-one meetings and record progress.
- Track days of actual absence and adjust the end date of the probationary period (Article 27 of the Labour Code).
Before the end of the probationary period
- Hold a final meeting to reach a decision.
- If the employee is not suitable for the post: give written notice 3 days before dismissal (within the notice period).
- If suitable for the post: no further orders are required — the employee is deemed to have successfully completed the probationary period.
