Salary arrears in Ukraine increased by 7.1%: which companies accumulated the most debts

As of August 6, 2024, the Ministry of Justice of Ukraine registered more than 34,000 cases of non-payment of wages, covering almost 2,000 enterprises. Among the regions, the leader in the number of debtors is Sumyshchyna, while the least number of such cases was recorded in Chernivtsi region.

According to data from Opendatabot, while the number of cases of salary arrears decreased at the beginning of the full-scale invasion, the situation worsened significantly in 2024. In particular, more new proceedings were opened this year than in the whole of 2023.

The highest peak of salary arrears proceedings was observed in 2021, when their number reached 6.3 thousand. However, after the full-scale invasion began in 2022, the number of new proceedings dropped by 29%.

However, already in 2023, the situation began to change. Compared to the previous year, the number of new cases of non-payment of wages increased by 6.6%. To date, in 2024, this indicator has increased by another 7.1% compared to last year.

As of August 2024, according to open data, the number of registered cases of salary arrears was distributed as follows:

- 2021: 6,358 cases;
- 2022: 4,531 cases;
- 2023: 4,828 cases;
- 2024: 5,170 cases.

Such a significant increase in salary debts indicates the deepening of the problem in the labor market in Ukraine. The government and specialized bodies should pay attention to this situation and take the necessary measures to protect the rights of workers.