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Foster a stronger connection between citizens and social security policies

At the meetings, voters consistently agree during these interactions that amending the Law on Social Insurance to broaden and increase rights and benefits is essential. This is seen as an attractive initiative to encourage worker participation and ensure social welfare for the people. Simultaneously, this effort aligns with the Party's goal, as outlined in Resolution No. 28-NQ/TW, to reform the Social Insurance policy towards a multi-tiered, flexible, modern, integrated approach, progressively covering the entire workforce and moving towards universal social insurance. However, voters also express the need to prevent and address the current trend of workers withdrawing their Social Insurance contributions in some industrial zones and clusters.

Voters from districts such as Viet Yen and Lang Giang in Bac Giang province, as well as voters who are trade union officials in Hanoi and constituents at Minh Anh Garment Company (Nghe An), highlight the unemployment situation in industrial zones leading to a surge in one-time Social Insurance withdrawals. They emphasize the importance of strengthening information dissemination to make workers aware that withdrawing Social Insurance contributions at once may result in greater losses than accumulating contributions over time for future retirement benefits. The voters believe that foregoing the opportunity to receive a pension in old age also means losing out on allowances for sickness, maternity, occupational accidents, and unemployment benefits, emphasizing the need for comprehensive communication strategies to address these issues.

Need for policies to attract labor participation in social insurance

The draft amendment to the Law on Social Insurance addresses the reduction of the minimum contribution years for monthly pensions from 20 years to 15 years. Union members and workers express support for this proposed amendment, considering it one of the particularly important policies. This amendment aims to provide opportunities for those joining Social Insurance late or with non-continuous participation to receive a pension with a shorter contribution period. However, reducing the minimum contribution years to 15 also results in lower pensions for workers, jeopardizing their ability to meet the minimum living standards in the future. Therefore, careful and comprehensive consideration of the minimum contribution years for pension eligibility is necessary, based on financial, social, labor, and human factors.

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During constituency outreach meetings, many opinions highlight shortcomings in the Social Insurance policy, such as prolonged contribution periods, high contribution rates, insufficient support policies, and challenges in attracting voluntary participants. Voters, like Dong Van Bang from Tho Xuong Ward, Bac Giang City, propose expanding the mandatory participation to include individual business owners, contract workers in administrative units, non-specialized activities in villages and neighborhoods, and sole proprietors. Additionally, they suggest adding time-limited pension and social insurance benefits (before qualifying for retirement benefits or elderly allowances) for those with less than 20 years of Social Insurance contributions.

At these outreach sessions, local National Assembly Delegations have acknowledged and recorded voters' contributions and opinions related to measures to address business debts in Social Insurance. They affirm their commitment to assimilate these opinions, compile them accurately, and transfer them to the competent authorities for examination and resolution. These contributions will be discussed during the 6th Session of the National Assembly (commencing on October 23) to collectively contribute to the parliamentary review, adjustment, and amendment of the policy regime to ensure the rights and benefits of Social Insurance participants./.