Recognizing and Challenging Workplace Discrimination

On 23 June, LI lawyers Kateryna Shvets and Alina Antonenko delivered an online training session for female graduates from various OnTrack program cohorts. The session focused on recognizing workplace discrimination and understanding the legal mechanisms available to challenge it.

OnTrack is a free vocational retraining program in Ukraine, launched as the flagship initiative of the NGO Reskilling Ukraine, designed to help women master in-demand professions in traditionally male-dominated fields, such as transport, logistics, manufacturing, and construction. 

LI lawyers explained Ukrainian legal standards governing non-discriminatory recruitment practices, paying particular attention to job advertisements that unlawfully specify requirements related to gender, age, marital status, or other protected characteristics. Participants learned how to identify discriminatory language in vacancies and where and how to submit complaints to the competent authorities.

The second part of the training addressed discrimination during the hiring process itself. Kateryna and Alina discussed common situations in which applicants are denied employment on discriminatory grounds and shared practical recommendations on documenting such cases, collecting evidence, and pursuing legal remedies. Participants also learned how to file complaints with the State Labor Service or seek judicial protection when their rights have been violated.

By combining legal knowledge with practical guidance, the training strengthened participants’ ability to recognize discrimination, protect their own rights, and support others in promoting equal opportunities and fair treatment in the workplace.