Of which, there were more than 1.1 million participants in voluntary social insurance in 2020, 101.6 per cent higher than in 2019 and about 184.2 times higher than in 2008.

The coverage rate of voluntary social insurance in 2020 accounted for 2.28 per cent of the labour force, about 1.28 per cent higher than the target set in Resolution No 28-NQ/TW.

Under the target, the coverage rate of voluntary social insurance is expected to reach 1 per cent by the end of 2021.

The achievements were thanks to the Government’s drastic direction and the co-operation of relevant ministries and localities, said deputy chairman of the National Assembly (NA)’s Committee of Social Affairs Dang Thuan Phong at the committee’s second plenary session on September 27.

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The meeting was held to verify the Government's report on the implementation of social insurance policies and the management and use of social insurance funds in 2020.

Phong also said that, however, the number of people participating in compulsory social insurance only reached over 15 million people in 2020, about 150,000 people lower than in 2019.

Under the committee’s assessment, this was the first time the number of people participating in compulsory social insurance had decreased, he said.

It was because the COVID-19 pandemic showed complex developments during 2020 and 2021, causing negative impacts on socio-economic development, people's health and lives, he said.

Many businesses had to downsize or suspend their operations, resulting in many employees losing their jobs and income, he said.

Besides, many localities strictly applied social distancing measures, causing difficulties for the insurance sector to increase participants, he said.

Also at the meeting, Dinh Cong Sy, deputy chairman of the NA’s Foreign Affairs Committee said Viet Nam needed to build a roadmap to amend the Law on Social Insurance so that Vietnamese labourers, who were sent to work abroad, could benefit from the social insurance policies. 

Social insurance debts increase

Pham Trong Nghia, a standing member of the NA’s Committee for Social Affairs said although Viet Nam Social Security actively conducted inspections, the social insurance debts still increased over the past three years.

The total insurance debt was calculated to be VND12.1 trillion (US$534 million) as of December 31, 2020, about VND2.19 trillion ($96.6 million) higher than in 2019.

The number of debts that employers delayed to pay since 2019 accounted for over 33 per cent, he said.

Therefore, the Government was advised to find a suitable solution to fix the situation and ensure the interests of employees, he said.

Lam Van Doan, deputy chairman of the committee, also said that the 2015 Penal Code stipulated acts of fraud and taking advantage of social insurance.

However, the number of cases to be prosecuted was very low so far.

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Thus, the Government should direct relevant ministries and sectors to strictly handle employers that intentionally delayed social insurance payment, he said.

Speaking at the meeting, General Director of Viet Nam Social Security Nguyen The Manh said the agency was assigned to inspect social insurance debts since June 2016.

Then, the agency had collected VND8.95 trillion (US$3.94 million) of social insurance debt during 2016-20, accounting for 70 per cent of the total debts, Manh said.

Although we reduced the number of inspections and the inspection time, the quality of the inspections had increased, contributing to improving the compliance with the law of employers, he said.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dzung said that the ministry had planned to conduct inspections in 14 provinces and cities with more than 200 businesses that delayed social insurance payments in 2022.

It was the main work of inspection activities next year, Dzung said.

Nguyen Thuy Anh, chairwoman of the committee, said the committee agreed with the report from the committee as well as highly appreciated the implementation of social insurance policies of the insurance sector.

Anh said the National Assembly already planned to amend the Law Social insurance and the Law on Employment in the future.

Therefore, delegates were recommended to continue making comments on the committee’s report, she said.

The report would be discussed for the first time at the second session of the 15th National Assembly, she said./