Successful Reinstatement of a Single Mother Raising a Child with a Disability

Labor Initiatives (LI) lawyers successfully defended the labor rights of a single mother raising a child with a disability who was unlawfully dismissed from her job in the education department of a local self-government body.

Under Ukrainian labor law, single mothers with children under the age of 14—especially those raising a child with a disability—are protected from layoffs, except in cases of the complete liquidation of an enterprise without legal succession. Aware of these protections, the employer in this case avoided formal layoff procedures and instead changed essential working conditions solely for this worker, effectively forcing her to resign.

In January 2022, the woman turned to the LI legal clinic for legal support. The attorneys prepared a lawsuit requesting the cancellation of the dismissal order, reinstatement, and payment of compensation for the forced absence from work. The court fully agreed with the plaintiff’s arguments, noting that the employer violated labor guarantees and failed to offer any alternative positions or take steps to retain the single mother in employment.

In March 2023, the court ruled in favor of the worker, declaring the dismissal illegal, ordering her reinstatement, and awarding compensation in the amount of UAH 116,289 (approximately $3,185).