 An official of ward 1, district 3, Ho Chi Minh City gives subsidy to people affected by COVID-19. (Photo: Thanh Vu/VNA) |
The government Resolution 68 to provide 1.13 billion USD was introduced with a 4th wave of COVID-19 spreading in multiple provinces since April, disrupting businesses, employees, and employers. The resolution outlines 7 groups of policies relating to employees and 5 groups relating to employers.
New points
Resolution 68 is simple and friendly to employees. It cuts out two thirds of administrative procedures to give beneficiaries quicker access.
The beneficiaries include employees with compulsory social insurance who have temporarily suspended labor contracts or leave without pay for at least 15 consecutive days between May 1 and December 31, 2021. Pregnant women and those raising their own children or adoptive children will receive an additional subsidy. The resolution pays all food expenses for COVID-19 patients and persons in medical quarantine.
Some policies mentioned in the Resolution include reducing contributions to insurance fund for occupational accidents and diseases and giving loans to businesses to pay workers’ salaries.
 Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh |
Deputy Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Le Van Thanh said: “The 4th wave of COVID-19 has strongly affected employees of industrial and processing parks in some densely-populated provinces and cities. The Resolution meets the needs of employees and employers. For self-employed persons, the government lets localities decide support levels depending on their situation, with a minimum of 65USD per month.”
André Gama, Social Protection Program Manager at the International Labor Organization in Vietnam, said: “ILO is very happy to see the Resolution 68 when the COVID-19 pandemic continues to grow. It’s a very welcoming sign for us to see that the government is able to react in that manner in support of workers, their families, and enterprises. We see very important features in this Resolution in term of the support for not only workers but also employers.”
Timely support to the right people
Minister of Labor, Invalids, and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung said the relief package will be implemented as quickly as possible in accordance with the law. The Ministry, the State Bank of Vietnam, and the Bank for Social Policies have agreed on procedures for disbursing money within 7 days of application.
Deputy Director General of the Bank for Social Policies Huynh Van Thuan said the bank has explained the procedures to household businesses and employers.
“We have trained our staff on procedures for loaning employers money to pay workers for down time and for production recovery. We will work with functional agencies to launch the government support program. We have an extensive network to serve individuals who are eligible under the government decision,” said Thuan.
The government’s relief package for employees and employers has once again confirms that the government is working to ensure people’s lives and health. Effective disbursement of 1.13 billion USD will help people stabilize their lives and boost the national economy in the second half of the year.