The Vietnam Social Security (VSS) recently detailed instructions on the scope of application, support levels and implementation schedule; decentralized power of settlement to agencies and employees with ongoing unemployment insurance and interrupted unemployment insurance. At the same time, VSS assigned responsibility to each of its subordinates in order to mobilize total resources for effective implementation of support policies to beneficiaries in a quick, convenient, accurate and safe manner, while ensuring publicity and transparency.

Carrying out Resolution 03/2021/NQ/UBTVQH15 dated September 24, 2021 of the National Assembly’s Standing Committee, Resolution 116/NQ-CP dated September 24, 2021 of the Government on support policy for employees and employers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from the Unemployment Insurance Fund and Decision 28/2021/QD-TTg dated October 1, 2021 of the Prime Minister on implementation of support policy for employees and employers affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) recently issued Official Letter 3068/BHXH-CSXH to provincial and municipal social security agencies, the Social Security of the Ministry of Defense and the Social Security of the Ministry of Public Security on implementation of Decision 28/2021/QD-TTg.

In this letter, the VSS required its subordinates, provincial and municipal social security agencies to implement support policies in favor of employees and employers. The existing information technology platform will effectively provide accurate identification of employees and employers entitled to support from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

Convenient, simple and quick approach

According to Decision 28/2021/QD-TTg, from October 1, 2021, about 13 million workers who buy unemployment insurance will be granted VND1.8-3.3 million each, depending on the length of time that they have not yet been given unemployment benefits, and about 386,000 employers will have unemployment insurance premiums reduced to 0% from 1% in 12 months (from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022). The implementation of the support policy for employees and employers is directed by the VSS to the entire social security sector to reduce the time for handling procedures to get the benefits at the earliest. If employers are not eligible for the support, VSS will notify in writing and clearly state the reason for ineligibility.

Employees supported with Unemployment Insurance Fund

Group 1: Employees who are paying unemployment insurance till September 30, 2021 (excluding those employed by governmental agencies). Based on the list of supported employees sent by social security agencies, employers will compare and supplement information (if any) and provide information about personal bank accounts to get the support. Within five working days from the date of receipt of the correct and complete list of employees and within 10 days from the date of receipt of the list of employees with adjusted information submitted by employers, the VSS shall pay allowances to employees.

Group 2: Employees who halted paying unemployment insurance as a result of the termination of their employment contract from January 1, 2020 to September 30, 2021, the period of unemployment insurance payment is reserved by law. Workers declare information, fill in given forms and send them to provincial or district social security agencies (where they prefer receiving the support). The deadline for submitting support requests is December 20, 2021. Within five working days from the date of receipt of requests for support with correct and sufficient information, social security agencies will settle payment of support for workers.

In addition, responding to noncash payment advocacy in the Prime Minister’s Directive 22/CT-TTg dated May 26, 2020 and helping the fight against the COVID-19 pandemic, VSS recommended workers receive support cash via bank accounts to make the process quick, convenient, accurate and safe.

Support policy reduces unemployment insurance for employers

Social security agencies, based on unemployment insurance data on the professional software system, determine benefits as per Articles 4 and 5 of Decision 28/2021/QD-TTg, immediately adjust the contribution rate from 1% to 0% of the monthly salary fund of employees who are subject to unemployment insurance. Every month, during the period from October 1, 2021 to the end of September 30, 2022, social insurance agencies will reduce the unemployment insurance rate to 0% of the monthly salary of employees who are holding unemployment insurance.

Convenient access to unemployment policy

To provide the most favorable conditions for employees and employers, the VSS advocates diversifying forms of document exchange to deploy support policy at the wish of beneficiaries, thus enabling employees and employers to access the policy in the most favorable manner and in the shortest time.

Many forms of exchange with social security agencies

Employees can use one of the various forms to work with social security agencies: (1) Online through the National Public Service Portal, the VSS Public Service Portal and I-VAN service providers, and VssID application - Digital Social Insurance; (2) Postal service; and (3) Working at provincial or district social security agencies.

On the other hand, employees can actively look up the unemployment insurance time in a convenient, easy and fast fashion with many different ways: On VssID application - Digital Social Insurance; From the employee's social insurance book; On the website of the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) or call to VSS Customer Care at telephone number 1900.9068; Sending a text message to 8079 with the following the syntax: BH (space) QT (space) social insurance number (The last 10 digits of the social insurance number string).

Based on the available information technology platform and streamlined administrative procedures, the VSS’s time to launch support policy for employees and employers has been reduced to 5-10 days as per Decision 28/2021/QD-TTg of the Prime Minister. This further proves that the VSS has drastically, actively and consistently applied many solutions to deliver the support policy to employees and employers in the fastest, most convenient and most accurate way to help employees to live through a hard time and help employers to have more funds for business operations which will, in turn, generate more jobs and income for employees.

This support package, resulting from resolutions of the National Assembly and the Government, reaffirmed that the Unemployment Insurance Fund is managed and used safely, effectively and transparently, clearly showing the humanity of unemployment insurance policy. Given the hardships caused by the pandemic, the Unemployment Insurance Fund is really solid support for employees and employers.