In Ukraine, there are over 10 million pensioners, with a significant portion receiving a monthly pension that does not exceed 5,000 hryvnias. This level of payments, according to Danilo Hetmantsev, does not allow for a decent life. Against the backdrop of a severe labor shortage caused by war, migration, and mobilization, the issue of attracting experienced workers becomes particularly relevant.
This is reported by Finway
Problems of Age Discrimination in the Labor Market
The head of the parliamentary finance committee points out that many older individuals face biased attitudes from employers. The main reasons for this are the age of the candidates, perceived low technological preparedness, or health status. At the same time, Hetmantsev emphasizes that such thinking is misguided, as employees with many years of experience possess knowledge, high standards of professional ethics, and can make a significant contribution to the development of the economy.
Key Initiatives to Support Employment for Pensioners
- Fiscal Incentives. Among the proposed measures is the implementation of mechanisms that encourage employers to hire individuals of pre-retirement and retirement age. In particular, this includes partial compensation of the single social contribution (SSC) or tax benefits aimed at making official employment advantageous for both employees and employers.
- Continuous Education. The state, through the employment center system, should ensure funding for the retraining of older individuals. Hetmantsev is convinced that even a 60-year-old specialist can realistically learn new skills, including working with modern software, if the person has the appropriate knowledge base and motivation.
- Legalization of Labor and Social Guarantees. One of the main problems remains the shadow employment of pensioners, who fear losing indexing or other social benefits. According to Hetmantsev, it is necessary to eliminate legislative barriers so that citizens who officially pay taxes can rely on state support and full compliance with social obligations.
“I often talk about the fight against the ‘shadow’. So, legal employment of older individuals is also a way to reduce the shadow economy. It is about filling the Pension Fund today to ensure payments to those who can no longer work,” Hetmantsev stated.