Unemployed Ukrainians will be involved in the country's Recovery Army by doing community work, the press service of the Economy Ministry has said, quoting First Deputy Prime Minister Yuliya Svyrydenko.
The introduction of this mechanism in the regions was discussed during a meeting with the heads of regional and Kyiv city military administrations.
"Due to the war, a rather high unemployment rate is expected in the country - about 30% by the end of the year, and this is a serious challenge for the state. Therefore, the government has developed and proposed a mechanism by which the temporarily unemployed can be involved in the performance of socially useful works, which are needed in the regions. Today we have two armies - one defends the country at the front, the other works. People who for various reasons are unemployed will be able to join the Recovery Army, and the state will pay for their work at the level of the minimum wage, which since October amounts to UAH 6,700," said Svyrydenko.
Thus, the unemployed can be involved in defence works, elimination of the consequences of emergencies. These can be works aimed at meeting the needs of the Armed Forces, other military formations and civil defence forces, as well as to meet the general needs of the economy and the life of the population.
In particular, it can be:
- arrangement and reinforcement of checkpoints, cutting down trees to form trenches;
- stocking of firewood for the military and the population;
- debris removal and restoration of residential buildings and other premises damaged as a result of hostilities;
- strengthening of dams;
- clearing roads from debris;
- unloading of humanitarian aid;
- arrangement of basements in multi-storeyed buildings, schools for shelter;
- repair and restoration works in social institutions;
- providing assistance to internally displaced persons, people with disabilities, elderly people.
The organizer of the work should be the military command together with the regional military administration independently or with the involvement of executive authorities.
All able-bodied persons will be involved in the works, in particular, registered unemployed and internally displaced persons who do not have health restrictions. At the same time, the unemployed will receive remuneration in the amount not lower than the minimum wage (UAH 6,700), which in most cases is higher than unemployment benefits.
Fixed-term employment contracts will be signed with the participants of such works in accordance with the Labour Code.
As of today, public works have already been introduced in Sumy and Chernihiv regions. Thus, in Sumy Region, such works have been introduced in 18 territorial communities out of 26 where there are no active hostilities, almost 400 unemployed people have been employed. In Chernihiv Region, 78 unemployed people are involved in such works.