Urgently implement policies to support workers and businesses facing difficulties due to Covid-19

On the same day, Vietnam Social Security also issued Decision No. 722/QD-BHXH on the establishment of a working group to inspect, urge, and remove difficulties and obstacles caused by the Covid-19 pandemic in implementing Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP dated July 1, 2021 of the Government; implementing health insurance policies and organizing the implementation of tasks at Social Security of 19 provinces and cities.

Implementing Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP dated July 1, 2021 of the Government on a number of policies to support employees and employers facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic (Resolution No. 68); Decision No. 23/2021/QD-TTg dated July 7, 2021 of the Prime Minister stipulating the implementation of a number of policies to support employees and employers facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic (Decision No. 23), in the past time, the entire Vietnam Social Security sector has made great efforts in organizing implementation and initially achieved certain results. Especially the work of building procedures and guidelines for unified implementation within the organization; Early completion of sending notices on the amount (about 4,322 billion VND) due to reduced contributions to the Labor Accident and Occupational Disease Fund to more than 375 thousand units, with over 11.2 million employees, contributing to timely support for businesses to overcome difficulties, supporting employees to prevent and fight the Covid-19 epidemic.

Many Nghe An workers are struggling during the epidemic season. Photo: DA - MH

To continue to accompany and support businesses and workers to reduce difficulties, and join hands to successfully achieve the dual goal of "both promoting socio-economic development and effectively preventing and fighting the epidemic", Vietnam Social Security requests the Directors of Social Security of provinces and centrally-run cities to direct the good implementation of the following contents:

Firstly, thoroughly educate civil servants, public employees and workers to comply with the regulations of the Government, the Prime Minister, Ministries, branches, People's Committees of provinces and cities and Vietnam Social Security in implementing the Government's support policies for businesses and workers, considering this a key and important political task that needs to be prioritized by the entire industry in the current period.

Second, closely coordinate with local departments and branches to report to the People's Committees of provinces and cities on solutions to direct and guide businesses and employees in implementing the Government's support policies, promptly remove difficulties, or report and propose to competent authorities to resolve arising problems, creating the most favorable conditions for employees and businesses.

Representatives of the Provincial Labor Federation presented gifts to employees of the Education Department of Nghe An province. Photo: Duc Anh

Third, assign, monitor, grasp, urge and guide businesses facing difficulties due toCovid-19 pandemicPrepare documents early to resolve the suspension of contributions to the pension and death fund according to regulations. Absolutely do not create additional procedures and documents other than those specified in Decision No. 23; do not let documents expire; in case of missing or incorrect documents, timely instructions must be provided; do not let documents be transferred back and forth many times.

Fourth, closely coordinate with the Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs to resolve related procedures according to regulations. Upon receiving the Department's decision on supporting training, fostering, and improving vocational skills to maintain employment for employees as prescribed in Article 12, Decision No. 23, immediately transfer funds to enterprises to support training, fostering, and improving vocational skills for employees, in order to maintain sustainable employment for the unit or enterprise.

Fifth, promptly confirm the lists of employees who have temporarily suspended their labor contracts or are on unpaid leave; List of employees who have stopped working; List of employees who have stopped working due to the impact of the Covid-19 pandemic and list of employees who have been requested by employers to borrow capital to pay salaries to restore production according to the provisions of Decision No. 23 so that units, enterprises and employees have sufficient documents to request competent authorities to implement support policies to stabilize their lives, or borrow capital to maintain and develop production and business activities of units and enterprises.

Emtex Company representative raised the difficulty of not being able to give temporary leave to workers in epidemic areas. Photo: Archive

At the same time, Vietnam Social Security also requires the entire industry to promote communication work, timely and fully inform the results of implementing support policies under the authority of the Social Security agency; strengthen consulting, guidance, and answering questions of employees and businesses in enjoying the Government's support policies; promptly complete the functions on the software (if any) to immediately respond to the implementation of support policies and the work of management, synthesis, statistics, and reporting according to regulations...

In the spirit of urgently implementing Resolution No. 68, Vietnam Social Security has decided to establish a working group of Vietnam Social Security to visit the Social Security of 19 provinces and centrally-run cities (according to Official Dispatch No. 969/TTg-KGVX of the Prime Minister on implementing social distancing to prevent and control the epidemic in some localities). The working group will focus on the following contents:

- Inspect, urge, remove difficulties and obstacles, summarize and report on the implementation status of Resolution No. 68; health insurance policy and organize the implementation of the Industry's tasks in localities.

- Work, discuss and coordinate with provincial and municipal leaders; at the same time receive recommendations and proposals from localities to resolve difficulties and problems within the scope of functions and tasks of the Industry.

Representatives of the Southeast Economic Zone trade union learn about the lives of workers in VSIP Industrial Park. Photo: MH

It can be affirmed that, immediately after the Government issued Resolution No. 68 and the Prime Minister issued Decision No. 23, Vietnam Social Security has urgently and resolutely implemented many solutions to carry out related tasks proactively and promptly, with the highest goal of bringing the State's support policies to each participant and beneficiary of social insurance and unemployment insurance policies; ensuring that the actual processing of records is carried out conveniently and in the fastest time, creating maximum convenience for employers and employees. Thereby, in its role as an agency organizing and implementing social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance policies, Vietnam Social Security has contributed to removing difficulties for units and enterprises, ensuring social security, and responding to the Covid-19 pandemic in accordance with the direction of the Government and the Prime Minister./.