HCM City promises support for workers laid off due to pandemic

The HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs would take whatever measures are needed in the second half of the year to safeguard workers’ incomes and jobs, which have been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic, Le Minh Tan, its director, has promised.
HCM City promises support for workers laid off due to pandemic ảnh 1PouYuen workers in HCM City’s Binh Tan district exit the company after work (Photo: tuoitrenews.vn)
HCM City (VNS/VNA) - The HCM City Department of Labour, Invalids andSocial Affairs would take whatever measures are needed in the second half ofthe year to safeguard workers’ incomes and jobs, which have been affected bythe COVID-19 pandemic, Le Minh Tan, its director, has promised.

More than 327,000 workers in the city were laid off in the first half, he said.Tourism and other services were the hardest hit with some 4,400 enterprisesbeing affected and 100,000-120,000 workers laid off.

To protect workers’ rights, the department has set up working groups to supportbusinesses and ensure employees are treated in accordance with legalprovisions, he said.

“Enterprises that lay off workers must notify them 45 days in advance.”

In addition, companies must have additional support policies for morevulnerable employees such as seniors and pregnant women, he added.

“Of the nearly 2,800 PouYuen workers in Binh Tan district who have been laidoff, 745 want to stay in the city. We will look for businesses in the sameindustry to find jobs for those workers.”

The department is working with eight companies in Go Vap district to recruit2,222 workers who had been laid off by Hue Phong Footwear JSC in the district,he said.

The department has learnt that a Taiwanese furniture company in Cu Chi wouldlay off around 800 jobs soon, and is looking for wood manufacturing enterprisesseeking to hire workers, he said.

It would also send workers in need of vocational training to vocationalcentres, he said.

According to city authorities, 90 percent of 8,400 enterprises facingdifficulties are eligible for the 62 trillion VND (2.7 billion USD) supportpackage of the Government and Resolution 2 of the City People’s Council. Thebusinesses that receive the funding from these two programmes should keep theirworkers.

The Government has allowed businesses to suspend paying social insurancepremiums for their workers, trade union funds and others until the end of theyear if they retain them.

According to a survey by the HCM City Statistics Office, nearly 14,000 out ofthe city’s 16,300 enterprises were affected by the pandemic in the first half,with around 8,400 enterprises suspending operations and thus laying off a largenumber of employees.

If the pandemic continues in the second half, another 4,800-5,000 enterprisesin the services, industrial and construction sectors will be affected and160,000-180,000 more workers could lose their jobs.

Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc recently approved the relief package worth over 62 trillion VND to benefit around 20 million people nation-wide with a focus onworkers who lost jobs and incomes and businesses affected by the pandemic.

Under Resolution 42, as of the end of June, HCM City provided financial supportworth a total of 560 billion VND to more than 510,000 out of a total of 542,000people affected by the pandemic.

In March, HCM City authorities approved a support package targeting 600,000workers and teachers at private pre-schools who lost their jobs and poorfamilies./.
VNA

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