Military Personnel and the Right to Family Leave: Is Additional Leave Possible in Case of a Father’s Death
Amid ongoing challenges and difficult circumstances faced by Ukrainian servicemen and women, the issue of obtaining additional family-related leave has become particularly relevant.
Many military personnel actively defend the country against Russian full-scale aggression and are entitled to various types of leave that help them recover emotionally and physically, as well as support their families during tough times.
According to legal expert Andriy Topchiy, service members have the right to request leave for family reasons in case of the death or serious illness of close relatives.
Under the Law on Social and Legal Protection of Servicemen and Their Families, such leave is granted without pay and can last up to seven calendar days.
This includes parents, spouses, children, siblings, and parents of the service member’s spouse, or persons they are raising.
Importantly, legislation does not impose restrictions on applying for this type of leave if the service member is currently on their main vacation.
Moreover, there are no legal time limits regarding the event’s date: a serviceman can submit an application regardless of whether less than 30 days have passed since the funeral or death.
This reflects the flexibility and compassion embedded in Ukrainian legislation to support defenders during difficult times of war.