The President signed Law No. 5031-IX on the reinstatement of competitive selection for positions in the civil service and local governments. The law comes into force one month after its official publication.

This information was announced by the Verkhovna Rada Committee on the Organisation of State Power, Local Self-Government, Regional Development and Urban Planning.

Upon the entry into force of the Law, local governments will be able to announce competitive selection processes for vacant positions. Information on all such vacancies will need to be published via the Diya portal. This will enable candidates to find vacancies in communities on a single platform.

Separate rules have been established for positions that were filled during martial law by staff appointed without a competition. Competitions for these positions must be announced two months after the law comes into force. The deadline for announcing them is 18 months. Employees will be able to remain in their positions for up to 24 months from the date the Law comes into force or until the winner of the competition is appointed.

The Law also provides for the possibility of extending the employment of certain employees without a competition. This requires the employee’s consent, a positive or excellent performance appraisal, and a decision by the head of the authority. Such a decision may be taken within three months of the Law coming into force.

The requirements to resume competitive selection processes will not apply to positions in local governments in areas where hostilities are taking place or which are temporarily occupied.

Human resources departments in local governments are advised to identify in advance which positions are vacant and which are held by staff appointed without a competitive selection process. Different timeframes and rules apply in these cases. Communities will also need to take into account the requirement to publish vacancies via the Diya portal.