A symbolic 26 hryvnias: a lawyer explains what’s wrong with the overtime pay for additional years of service

24 April 06:46

YOUTUBE

In Ukraine, additional payments for years of service beyond the standard retirement age do not actually motivate people to work longer, and years of service abroad often do not affect the size of the pension. This creates a sense of injustice among those who have worked for years both in Ukraine and abroad. Lawyer Ivan Khomych made this statement in an interview with the YouTube channel "Komersant Ukrainian".

The lawyer noted that today, for each year of overtime service, a pensioner receives about 26 hryvnias in additional payments. Such an amount cannot be a real incentive to remain in the profession.

“This is definitely not about encouraging people to work longer. It’s a symbolic supplement that essentially remains within the pension system,” he says.

Separately, Khomych drew attention to the issue of work experience gained abroad.

Many Ukrainians work in Europe, but this experience is often counted only toward qualifying for retirement, not toward increasing the pension amount.

He explained that in such cases, a person may meet the minimum service requirement, but their pension payments will remain lower than they could be.

“Work experience is counted solely to ensure a person qualifies for retirement. This experience does not affect the pension amount,” the lawyer notes.

You can check your insurance record online through the Pension Fund of Ukraine portal in your personal account (using an electronic signature).

In his view, this is particularly significant for those who have worked abroad for a long time. If a significant portion of the service record is not taken into account in the calculation, a person may lose a substantial portion of their future income.

Watch us on YouTube: important topics – without censorship

Khomych sees a solution to this situation in signing international agreements so that work experience and earnings abroad are fully taken into account, as is the case in EU countries.

He also commented on the possibility of “buying back” pension service. Such a mechanism exists, but it is not always justified.

You can pay for the months you didn’t work all at once. In 2026, the minimum single contribution payment is 3,804.68 UAH per month. The full amount must be paid within 10 days of signing the contract.

Decisions must be made on a case-by-case basis—depending on age, the number of years of service, and the projected amount of benefits. In some cases, it makes more sense to wait a few years rather than pay tens of thousands of hryvnias all at once.

“That’s why you need to consult with an expert and calculate whether it’s beneficial from an economic, mathematical, and investment standpoint,” he says.