Government issues resolution supporting employers and employees affected by COVID-19 from the unemployment insurance fund

28/09/2021 05:25 AM


In the context of the COVID-19 pandemic which has had adverse impacts on many aspects of people’s lives, seriously affecting employment, living conditions and incomes of employees and production and business activities of employers, the Government issued Resolution No 116/NQ-CP on September 24 on policies to support employees and employers affected by the pandemic from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.

Accordingly, the Government decided to spend about VNĐ30 trillion from the balance of the Unemployment Insurance Fund to support employees who are participating in unemployment insurance as of September 30, 2021 (not including employees working in state agencies, political organisations, socio-political organisations, people's armed forces units and public non-business units whose recurrent expenditures are guaranteed by the state budget).

Employees who have stopped participating in unemployment insurance due to termination of their labor contract or working contract in the period from January 1, 2020 to the end of September 30, 2021, have the period of payment of unemployment insurance reserved according to regulations of the employment law, excluding monthly pensioners.

Illustrative image (internet)

The level of support is based on the period of payment of unemployment insurance premiums but not yet enjoying unemployment benefits of employees, specifically as follows:

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance under 12 months: VNĐ1.8 million per person.

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance from 12 months to under 60 months: VNĐ2.1 million per person.

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance from 60 months to under 84 months: VNĐ2.4 million per person.

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance from 84 months to under 108 months: VNĐ2.65 million per person.

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance from 108 months to under 132 months: VNĐ2.9 million per person.

- Workers’ time of participating in unemployment insurance from 132 months: VNĐ3.3 million per person.

The time to implement the support for employees is from October 1, 2021 and will be completed by December 31, 2021 at the latest.

Reducing the rate of payment to the Unemployment Insurance Fund for employers affected by COVID-19.

Employers are eligible for Article 43 of the Law on Employment (excluding State agencies, socio-political organisations, people’s armed forces and public non-business agencies who are paid by the State budget) and covered by unemployment insurance before October 1, 2021. 

Rate of reduction: premiums are reduced from one per cent to zero per cent of the wage fund of employees covered by unemployment insurance.

Duration of premiums reduction: 12 months from October 1, 2021 to September 30, 2022.

The Resolution clearly states that this policy is aimed at helping employees to tackle difficulties, stabilise their life and prevent interruption in labour supply and labour shortage; and supporting employers to reduce production cost, adapt to the new situation, maintain production and business activities and generate jobs for employees. It also upholds the role of the unemployment insurance for employees and employers.

The Resolution also clearly states that the support for employees and employers from the Unemployment Insurance Fund ensures the principle of payment and enjoyment, sharing and fairness for employees and employers participating in unemployment insurance.

The implementation of the policy is placed in the overall balance of the resources of the State, funds and other support sources. Differences and some of those affected by the COVID-19 pandemic to be prioritised have been taken into account.

The implementation of support for employees and employers must be simple, timely, well-targeted, public, transparent and effective; and not apply to subjects who voluntarily do not receive support.

VSS