Quickly deploy the second social security support package for those affected by the Covid epidemic

On the morning of July 14, a national online conference was held to review the work of the first 6 months of the year, deploy tasks for the last 6 months of 2021 in the field of labor - meritorious people and society; thoroughly implement Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP and Decision No. 23/2021/QD-TTg. At the main bridge point, comrade Dao Ngoc Dung -Member of the Party Central Committee, Minister of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs chaired.

Comrades: Le Ngoc Hoa - Vice Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee, Doan Hong Vu - Member of the Provincial Party Executive Committee, Director of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs co-chaired at Nghe An bridge point.

Panorama of the conference at Nghe An bridge. Photo: Thanh Nga

Nationwide, 1.8 million workers lost their jobs.

In the first 6 months of 2021, the Covid-19 pandemic had many complicated developments, negatively, comprehensively and deeply affecting all aspects of socio-economic life. The whole industry must continue to implement the dual goal of both doing a good job in preventing and fighting the Covid-19 pandemic and promptly and effectively implementing the industry's work areas.

The fourth outbreak of Covid-19 has left 1.8 million workers nationwide unemployed. Some sectors such as transportation, aviation, tourism, hotels, entertainment, retail, culture, and sports have been severely affected, losing the recovery momentum of 2020 and will be more strongly affected.

In the first 6 months of the year, the unemployment rate of trained workers was about 65%; the rate of trained workers with degrees and certificates was about 26%.

Many workers in the garment industry still have good income during the epidemic. Photo: Xuan Hoang

Also a locality affected by the pandemic, over the past year, Nghe An has had more than 33,000 workers lose their jobs, 31,000 workers have had to quit their jobs, more than 13,000 people working abroad have had to return home and are unemployed. However, with efforts in epidemic prevention and implementation of the "dual goal", Nghe An province has continued to coordinate and implement well the policy of supporting people facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic according to Resolution 42 and Resolution 154 of the Government, which has been basically completed. Presiding over and coordinating to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue plans, develop plans to organize the reception and handover of nearly 900 Nghe An workers facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic from Bac Giang province to the locality to ensure safety and strictness; direct the Provincial Employment Service Center to provide information and connect with the labor market so that after workers complete medical isolation, they can proactively contact to find jobs.

Coordinate with relevant departments, branches and agencies to do a good job of state management of employment - occupational safety. Support workers, organize job fairs, consulting conferences, career orientation for demobilized soldiers... It is estimated that in the first 6 months of 2021, jobs were created for 17,325 people (achieving 45% of the plan; up 5% over the same period last year).

The labor sector has advised the Provincial People's Committee to assess the current situation and plan the network of vocational education facilities in the area by 2030. Photo courtesy.

The Department of Labor has advised the Provincial People's Committee to assess the current situation and plan the network of vocational training facilities in the area up to 2030, with a vision to 2050; Social protection and poverty reduction work has achieved many results. Guiding and directing the implementation of policies according to Resolution 32/2020/NQ-HDND dated December 13, 2020 of the Provincial People's Council on eliminating poor households and people with revolutionary contributions in the province.

Coordinate and direct the implementation of the management and payment of regular preferential allowances for people with revolutionary contributions. The whole province has mobilized about 6 billion VND to support the Gratitude Fund.

In addition, Nghe An has strengthened the protection and care of children during the Covid-19 pandemic and the prevention of accidents, injuries, and drowning of children; and has done a good job of state management on gender equality. The work of protecting and caring for children, especially children in especially difficult circumstances, has achieved many important results, with 11,615 children in the province receiving gifts totaling more than VND 5.8 billion.

Quickly deploy the Government's social security support package

Immediately after Resolution No. 68/NQ-CP and Decision No. 23/2021/QD-TTg were issued, many localities quickly reviewed the beneficiaries in the spirit of "a piece when hungry is worth a package when full". Many places have focused on paying immediately to those who are really in difficulty due to the impact of the pandemic.

The vulnerable and unemployed will be given priority in this social security support package. Photo: Thanh Cuong.

The Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has drafted the Provincial People's Committee's Plan to direct implementation, and has sought opinions from relevant Departments, branches, and People's Committees of districts, cities, and towns (striving to issue it as soon as possible).

In order to have a basis to advise the Provincial People's Committee to report to competent authorities to consider supporting groups of workers without labor contracts (freelance workers) and other groups of workers, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has proactively issued Official Dispatch No. 2197/SLDTBXH-VP dated July 5, 2021 to districts, cities and towns to review the quantity and expected support budget.

Concluding the conference, Minister Dao Ngoc Dung emphasized: In the last 6 months of 2021, the Covid-19 epidemic situation is forecast to remain complicated, so the Department of Labor - People with Merits and Social Affairs continues to focus on coordinating and directing the implementation of the "dual task", both removing difficulties for businesses and workers.

Local businesses need to anticipate and respond to disruptions in the production chain. Localities have implemented 12 policies to support workers and employers facing difficulties due to the Covid-19 pandemic in accordance with the spirit of Resolution 68/NQ-CP, ensuring timely, effective and targeted support. Priority is given to implementing policies to support workers who have their contracts suspended, are on unpaid leave, have their jobs suspended, have their contracts terminated, and support training to maintain employment for workers. Review and grasp the labor situation, employment, and labor needs of businesses to have solutions to support and supply labor, and overcome temporary labor shortages due to the impact of the epidemic. People's safety must be taken seriously, no one must go hungry, and life stability must be ensured, especially for the poor.

“It is necessary to urgently focus on implementing support for target groups according to Resolution 68 and Decision 23 of the Government. It is necessary to implement quickly, with the spirit of “a piece when hungry is worth a package when full”, absolutely not allowing profiteering to occur”, the Minister requested.

The Minister emphasized: "For Industrial Parks, only when it is truly safe will production begin, implementing the "3 on-site" motto according to a safe distancing plan, ensuring safety in both production and business areas and residential areas."