Unemployment benefits due to Covid-19 pandemic sent by mail

Ms. Le Dang Hoang Diep (HCMC) went abroad to visit relatives and had an appointment to receive unemployment insurance in mid-April 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, she could not return to Vietnam. So, is it considered a case of force majeure when she could not appear on the right day and have her unemployment insurance accumulated?

Paying support money to people affected by the Covid-19 epidemic in Nghi Loc district. Illustrative photo: Nhat Tuan

Regarding this issue, Vietnam Social Security responds as follows:

In Clause 2, Section III, Resolution No. 42/NQ-CP dated April 9, 2020 of the Government on measures to support people facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic allows workers to submit applications for unemployment benefits by post, and monthly job search notifications are made indirectly (by email, fax, by post...) during the period from April 1, 2020 until the end of the epidemic is announced without having to request confirmation from the People's Committee of the commune, ward or town about the outbreak of the epidemic in the area.

If you make a job search notification for April 2020 according to the above regulations and continue to make monthly job search notifications in the following months, you can receive the unemployment benefits for the month not yet received (April 2020) together with the next month's benefits.

In case she does not make a job search notification as prescribed, her unemployment benefits will be suspended, and the period of suspension of unemployment benefits will be determined. The employee will not be entitled to unemployment benefits as prescribed in Clause 2, Article 19 and Clause 2, Article 20 of Decree No. 28/2015/ND-CP dated March 12, 2015 of the Government.