In its report about the implementation of Resolution No 03/2021 of the National Assembly Standing Committee and Decision No 28/2021/QĐ-TTg about policies to support employers and employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs proposed to continue providing financial assistance for those workers who had submitted dossiers but have not yet received support.

The Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs proposes to support an additional 414,000 workers from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. 

According to the labour ministry, after December 31, 2021 (the time when support for workers was completed), more than 414,000 eligible workers had submitted dossiers for support as regulated but have not yet received financial assistance with total funds estimated at VND1,155 billion.

These workers are those who submitted the dossiers just before the support policy expired (no later than December 20, 2021). They had a complicated payment process for the unemployment insurance premiums as well as provided incorrect information about their unemployment insurance premium process. As a result, their dossiers were completed after December 31, 2021 and they have not yet received the support.

Also, among workers eligible for the support, the Vietnam Social Security (VSS) approved dossiers to provide support for more than 119,300 workers with total funds of over VND336 billion. However, they have also not yet received support due to incorrect information.

The VSS had also received dossiers to get financial assistance from more than 295,100 workers with estimated total funds of VND819 billion but has not yet dealt with these dossiers.

The Ministry of Labours, Invalids and Social Affairs said the reasons for the delay are difficulties in identifying eligible workers.

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On behalf of the Government, the ministry proposed the National Assembly Standing Committee allow it to continue providing financial assistance for those workers who had submitted dossiers before the deadline as regulated. The payment will be carried out over two months, scheduled to last through August 31, 2022.

Regarding the balance of the Unemployment Insurance Fund, the fund had a total balance of over VND60.6 trillion as of December 31, 2021. Its collection for 2022 is estimated at over VND21,870 billion and expenditure is estimated at VND26,740 billion. So if the ministry continues to pay for the eligible workers as regulated by Resolution No 03 with total funds of VND1,155 billion from the fund, it is still safe. 

The ministry said the provision of financial assistance for these workers will help to ensure the principle of payment for insurance premiums and getting benefits as well as demonstrate the principle of sharing of the unemployment insurance policy, creating equality among workers who are eligible for the support as regulated by the support policy.

The support will also help to strengthen workers’ trust in the unemployment insurance policy and prove the benefits of participating in unemployment insurance in supporting workers when they face difficulties, thus contributing to encouraging workers to participate in and abide by legal regulations about the unemployment insurance policy.

Earlier, adopting Government Resolution No 116/NQ-CP about policies to support employers and employees affected by the COVID-19 pandemic from the unemployment insurance fund and Decision No 28/2021/QĐ-TTg about implementing the support policies, more than 346,806 businesses across the country with 11.47 million workers across the country got a reduction in payment for the unemployment insurance fund with a total amount of VND4,426 billion. Nearly 12.97 million workers received financial assistance from the unemployment insurance fund with total amount of VND30,800 billion./.