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According Decision No. 666/QD-VSS, the Working Regulations stipulate working principles; responsibility; the methods, scope and procedures for handling the work of VSS; and working relations with Party organizations and mass organizations within VSS and between VSS and agencies and units inside and outside the entire VSS system.

The Regulations apply to professional units assisting the Director General of VSS, public non-business units under VSS, provincial and municipal social security agencies; civil servants and employees within the VSS system; and organizations and individuals having working relations with VSS.

Upholding the accountability of heads of units, ensuring “clear assignment, clear tasks, clear accountability”

One of the key contents of the new Regulations is to clearly define working principles and accountability in task implementation.

Accordingly, VSS operates under a single-head management system and follows the principle of democratic centralism; all activities must comply with the law, the Working Regulations of the Ministry of Finance and the Working Regulations of VSS.

The Regulations place particular emphasis on the accountability of heads of units, requiring them to act proactively and decisively, be willing to take initiative, act decisively, and assume responsibility for the common interest. Heads of units are accountable to the Director General of VSS and before the law for all activities of their units.

The assignment and implementation of tasks must ensure “clear assignment, clear tasks, clear accountability, clear authority, clear deadlines and clear results”. One unit may be assigned multiple tasks, but for each task, one unit must be designated as the lead unit and bear primary responsibility; at the same time, the responsibilities of coordinating units must be clearly defined, ensuring no overlap or duplication.

The lead unit is responsible for proactively organizing implementation, consolidating opinions and taking comprehensive responsibility for the content, progress, quality and results of task implementation. Coordinating units participate within the scope of their functions and duties and are responsible for their respective areas of coordination.

No evasion or shifting of responsibility; handling work promptly, accurately and on time

The new regulations require civil servants and employees to uphold accountability in performing assigned tasks and official duties; strictly comply with the professional procedures of VSS  and legal regulations; and refrain from evading or shifting responsibility.

All assigned tasks must be handled promptly, accurately, effectively and on time. Civil servants and employees must not transfer work falling within their responsibilities to other units or individuals or submit it to a higher-level authority before fully carrying out their prescribed responsibility for handling it.

Notably, the regulations stipulate that direction and administration, information exchange, reporting and work handling among units and individuals throughout the VSS system shall be carried out consistently and promptly through the VSS Document Management and Administration System, except for matters included in the list of state secrets or matters subject to separate regulations.

Data updated on the System shall serve as a basis for monitoring, following up and warning of delays, tracing responsibility, scoring task performance based on key performance indicators (KPIs), assessing the level of task completion, rating the quality of civil servants and employees, and serving as a basis for emulation and commendation assessments of units.

The assessment of the level of task completion must be based on the quality, effectiveness and processing progress of work and accountability in implementation, rather than on formalities or solely on technical procedures.

Linking the accountability of heads of units to work progress and quality

The regulations also specifically stipulate the responsibilities of heads of units at the central level and Directors of provincial social security offices in directing civil servants and employees to promptly and accurately update the results of document processing on the Document Management and Administration System immediately upon completion of their tasks. This serves as a basis for monitoring, follow-up, KPI assessment, evaluation, classification and emulation.

Heads of units bear overall responsibility if their units violate the Regulations or allow tasks to fall behind schedule, especially tasks involving the formulation of guidance documents and the organization of implementation of policies and laws.

Immediately upon receiving notification of a violation or delay, the head of the unit must promptly organize a review meeting, clarify the responsibility of each individual and each relevant stage of processing and, within three working days, submit a written report and explanation to the VSS leadership for consideration and appropriate actions.

The head of the unit and the deputy head of the unit assigned to oversee a specific area must also bear responsibility within the scope of their assigned duties and authority if the unit or area under their charge repeatedly has overdue tasks, systematic errors, acts of evading or shifting responsibility, or causes losses or resources without promptly conducting inspections, taking corrective measures and handling the matter.

The level of accountability of the head and deputy head shall be determined on the basis of task assignments, direction, inspection and urging activities, the ability to detect violations and the corrective measures taken.

Accelerating administrative reform and digital transformation, improving service quality

Along with strengthening discipline, administrative order and accountability in the performance of official duties, the new Working Regulations emphasize the need to accelerate administrative reform, particularly administrative procedure reform; strengthen the application of science and technology; promote innovation and digital transformation; and handle work in the electronic environment.

This aims to improve the quality of management and work handling, facilitate people and businesses, while better ensuring the legitimate rights and interests of participants and beneficiaries of social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance schemes and benefits.

The Regulations also require the entire system to strictly comply with regulations on internal political security, protection of state secrets and cybersecurity; practice thrift and prevent and combat corruption, waste and negative practices; and strictly prohibit the abuse of positions, powers or work positions for personal gain, causing difficulties, inconvenience, harassment or obstruction of work handling in any form.

Decision No. 666/QD-VSS takes effect from the date of signing and replaces Decision No. 3033/QD-VSS dated October 15, 2025, issued by the Director General of VSS on promulgating the Working Regulations of VSS./.