Deputy Prime Minister Vuong Dinh Hue and leaders of National Assembly Committee for Social Affairs, ministries and agencies discussed amendments to the 2012 Labour Code during a meeting in Hanoi on May 2.

 In accordance with Resolution No.57/2018/QH14, the legislature will look into the draft amended law at its seventh session and approve it during the eighth session. 

Participants highlighted the need to amend the Labour Code in the context that Vietnam has joined a number of regional and global free trade agreements with commitments to abiding by basic principles and rights of workers in line with the International Labour Organisation (ILO) Declaration on Fundamental Principles and Rights at Work. 

Additionally, the existing Labour Code is yet to fully reflect the Constitution’s regulations on human rights, basic rights and interests of citizens. 

Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said the ministry is revising the draft revised law to collect public feedback. 

Accordingly, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs (MoLISA) suggested increasing extra working time framework from 300 hours to 400 hours per year, retirement age to 62 for men and 60 for women from January 1, 2021, regulating representative organisations of workers at the grassroots level to ensure abiding by international practices. 

It proposed maintaining five-day Lunar New Year holiday inclusive or exclusive of weekend, adding a one-day holiday for Day of Martyrs and Invalids (July 27) to pay tribute to war heroes, and changing working time from 8:30am to 5:30pm, including one-hour lunch break. 

The Deputy PM asked the MoLISA to collect opinions on the new draft law’s contents from ministries, agencies, the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry, especially workers, experts and scientists. 

Chairwoman of the NA Committee for Social Affairs Nguyen Thuy Anh said the committee will convene a meeting to examine the bill early this month.