Supreme Court Confirms Workers Do Not Have to Pay Court Fees to Challenge Dismissal Orders

Lawyers from Labor Initiatives have secured an important victory before the Supreme Court of Ukraine, reinforcing judicial protection of workers’ rights.

The case reached the Supreme Court after the appellate court unlawfully refused to open proceedings, arguing that the dismissed worker had to pay a court fee for an additional claim seeking to invalidate the dismissal order.

The appellate court treated the request to declare the dismissal order unlawful as a separate claim requiring payment of a court fee.

The Supreme Court rejected this approach and fully upheld the cassation appeal. It ruled that challenging a dismissal order is an inseparable element of a reinstatement dispute. Therefore, such claims fall within the exemption from court fees provided by Article 5 of the Law of Ukraine “On Court Fees.”

This judgment is significant for workers across Ukraine, as it removes an unnecessary financial barrier to accessing justice in employment disputes and strengthens legal protection against unlawful dismissal.

Labor Initiatives will continue defending workers’ rights and contributing to consistent judicial practice that guarantees effective access to justice.