Government launches support package to aid pandemic-hit workers

The Government has recently issued Resolution No 68 on a number of policies to support employees and employers affected by COVID-19 pandemic.(Photo: VNA)

Hanoi (VNA) - The Government has recently issued Resolution No 68 on a number of policies to support employees and employers affected by COVID-19 pandemic.

The resolution is also expected to contribute to recovering production and business and mitigating the adverse impact of the pandemic.

It was issued in the context of the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks on a large scale, affecting many industries and fields. The Politburo on June 25 agreed to support workers and employers affected by the pandemic.

In Resolution 68, some basic principles are set out, such as ensuring timely support, to the right people, publicity and transparency, simple and easy criteria and procedures for employees and employers to access.

There are 12 supporting policies introduced in the recently-issued Resolution. Some policies can be mentioned such as reducing the contribution to the insurance fund for occupational accidents and diseases, suspend the payment of retirement and survivorship funds, use unemployment insurance funds to support vocational training and job changes; support to employees with their labour contracts temporarily terminated; and additional support and assistance to children.

Employees who have labour contracts suspended or take unpaid leave

The Resolution supports employees who have labour contracts suspended or took unpaid leave from May 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021 but were participating in compulsory insurance with the support level of 1.88-3.7 million VND (78-160 USD) per month depending on their work delay period.

Employees who work under labour contracts but have been suspended from work due to medical quarantine or in lockdown areas, will receive one-time support of 1 million VND (43 USD) per person.

Employees who have labour contracts terminated

Employees of enterprises, cooperatives, public non-business units and educational institutions are entitled to one-time allowance of 3.7 million VND if they have their labour contracts terminated from May 1, 2021 to the end of December 2021 as requested by competent State agencies to prevent COVID-19 spread, and are participating in compulsory social insurance but ineligible for unemployment benefits.

Artists and tour guides

The document stipulates lump-sum support of 3,710,000 VND for art directors, actors and painters holding professional titles at level 4 in public non-business units (excluding art units of the armed forces). (Photo: VNA)

The document stipulates lump-sum support of 3,710,000 VND for art directors, actors and painters holding professional titles at level 4 in public non-business units (excluding art units of the armed forces) who must stop working for at least 15 days due to COVID-19 from May 1-December 31, 2021; along with tour guides granted practice cards affected by the pandemic during the period.

In addition, tour guides who are suspended from work will enjoy one-time support of 3.7 million VND (160 USD).

Pregnant employees are provided an additional 1 million VND (43 USD) per person.

Children who have to be treated for COVID-19 or under medical quarantine will be covered with support of 1 million VND (43 USD) per child.

Other groups

Meanwhile, companies will get loans to pay for workers during suspended time and for production recovery, while freelancers and a number of other cases will also receive support.

Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung on July 1 afternoon during the regular Government press meeting has discussed the details of the support package.

The minister said Resolution 68 also promulgated policies to support businesses to borrow money for wages and to restore production and business.

He emphasised that the support solutions this time focus mainly on the group of workers in industrial zones and export processing zones.

Concerned agencies allocate the budget according to regulations, balancing the central budget and the local budget, said Dung.

Vietnam is facing the fourth wave of COVID-19 outbreaks, also the most challenging one that broke out on April 27.

As of 12pm on July 2, Vietnam had documented 17,902 infections of COVID-19, with 175 new cases recorded in the last six hours, according to the Ministry of Health (MoH).

The number of cases since the fourth COVID-19 wave hit the country in late April amounted to 14,505./.