On February 27, 2026, the forum on employment law and personnel accounting ”Human Resources – 2026” was held in Moscow.
Nowadays, people do not just decide everything – since January 1, 2026, after the increase in insurance premiums, employees have become even more expensive for employers. The purpose of the forum was to form and disseminate best practices for resolving labor disputes between employees and employers, structuring staff and job openings, reducing the tax burden of payroll taxes by identifying benefits and reserves, and decreasing the cost of errors in personnel accounting.
Participants of the event included representatives from law firms, in-house company lawyers, accountants, and HR specialists.
Julia Paushkina, Attorney at law, Partner of the Employment law practice at KIAP, Attorneys at Law, spoke at the first session about the mistakes employers make when hiring employees. Julia analyzed in practical terms "bad" examples of phrasing in an employment contract that could cost an employer a lost case or a fine from the state labor inspectorate, and also suggested formulations that would significantly protect the employer from potential employee claims.
During the forum, Julia also gave a comment to the media resource «Migrantguide», an outlet for the successful adaptation of migrants in Russia. The expert explained the difference between an employment contract and a GPH contract. According to the lawyer, from the point of view of migration legislation, there is no difference between an employment contract and a civil law agreement. The responsibilities for notifications, obtaining patents, and sanctioning infringements are the same. However, labor law sets clear boundaries: switching from an employment contract with a foreign citizen to a civil agreement may result in lawsuits for the employer.
"Employers should not confuse an employee with an independent contractor. An attempt to save money on a foreign employee by entering into a civil agreement instead of an employment contract can lead to serious financial losses and reputational costs in the event of a court case," Julia explained.
The full version of the commentary is available on the Migrantguide website.
You may find more information about the “Human Resources – 2026” forum on the event's website.
