In recent times, the unemployment insurance policy has played a good role as a support for employees. At the same time, the payment of support packages for employees from the Unemployment Insurance Fund has been directed by the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs (DOLISA) and the provincial Employment Service Center (EPC) to coordinate with relevant agencies to quickly, promptly, to the right people, in accordance with regulations according to the policies of the Central Government, which has been recognized and highly appreciated by employees and employers.

Efforts to resolve quickly

Immediately after the Government's resolutions and decisions and guidance documents from higher levels, the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs and the Provincial Social Insurance coordinated with relevant departments and branches to advise the Provincial People's Committee to issue Plan 100 to direct and guide districts, cities and relevant units to implement support for people affected by the COVID-19 pandemic. Support policies were fully, synchronously and in accordance with regulations, contributing to sharing difficulties, stabilizing the lives of workers and helping employers stabilize production and business. Thereby, ensuring the goal of both preventing and fighting the epidemic, protecting people's health, and recovering and developing the socio-economy in the new normal state .

During the implementation process, the Provincial Employment Service Center has always closely followed the actual situation, promptly directed officers and employees to coordinate with functional sectors and localities to promote the advantages of the information technology data system, focusing on information and propaganda so that employees and employers who have submitted applications for support packages on time are paid quickly. In particular, it has promoted the core role and responsibility of functional sectors so that unemployment insurance policies are timely - correct - sufficient to employees.

The Provincial Employment Service Center guides workers through procedures to receive unemployment benefits. Photo: TT

In recent times, Bac Lieu has fully implemented policies and regimes to support employees and employers facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Specifically, the province has reduced occupational accident and disease insurance premiums for nearly 18,190 employees of 586 units with a total amount of more than VND 5.4 billion; supported employers to borrow capital to pay for severance pay for more than 1,340 employees; supported nearly 4,690 employees to suspend labor contracts, take unpaid leave, and employees who terminate labor contracts and are not eligible for unemployment benefits with a total amount of over VND 12.5 billion. Notably, in just 9 months of 2022, the Provincial Employment Service Center has received nearly 5,300 unemployment insurance applications. Currently, more than 5,440 people are receiving unemployment benefits with a total amount of over VND 82 billion.

Promoting the role of the Unemployment Insurance Fund

During the supervision of the implementation of policies and regimes to support employees and employers facing difficulties due to the COVID-19 pandemic in the province according to Resolution 68 and Resolution 42 of the Government , the Provincial People's Council's supervision delegation highly appreciated the propaganda work, full and timely implementation of the above policies of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs. At the same time, combined with the above policies is the continued timely settlement of unemployment insurance policies, thereby contributing greatly to ensuring social security, compensating part of the income for employees who have lost their jobs. On the other hand, through vocational training, counseling and job referral activities, the unemployed will soon return to the labor market.

With the significant significance of the unemployment insurance policy, the Government has recently issued Resolution 116/NQ-CP, which states that from October 1, 2022, the unemployment insurance contribution rate of employers will return to 1% of the monthly salary fund of employees participating in unemployment insurance. Employers who have had their unemployment insurance contribution rates reduced under Resolution 116/NQ-CP will no longer support a reduction in unemployment insurance contribution rates. The reduction in unemployment insurance contribution rates for employers in the past was to support businesses to overcome difficulties caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. However, currently, most economic activities have resumed normally, and the unemployment insurance contribution rate from October 1, 2022 returning to the level before the COVID-19 pandemic occurred is completely consistent with the actual situation, ensuring that the unemployment insurance fund is sufficient to share risks among participants.

Hoang Uyen

Regarding 47 cases of receiving unemployment insurance benefits in violation of regulations: Over 195 million VND has been recovered

The unemployment insurance policy is considered a “lifesaver” for workers who lose their jobs, to help them return to the labor market as soon as possible. However, for many different reasons, many workers, although already employed, still do not declare or commit fraud to receive unemployment benefits.

To overcome this situation, the Provincial Employment Service Center has recently coordinated with the relevant agencies to review and inspect records at professional units in 7 districts, towns and cities. Thereby, a decision was made to recover more than 195 million VND of social insurance payments in violation of regulations for 47 cases. Of these, 4 cases with particularly difficult circumstances requested to be refunded in multiple installments.

It is known that the majority of employees who receive incorrect TCTN benefits are due to dishonest declaration of their employment status. Meanwhile, the recovery of incorrectly received TCTN benefits is facing many difficulties because employees often change information, addresses, or do not participate in social insurance payments at other enterprises when they have new jobs. The Provincial Employment Service Center lacks information and contact addresses to guide employees in recovering incorrectly received benefits. In addition, there are currently no strong sanctions forcing employees to return incorrectly received TCTN benefits within a certain period of time. In addition, due to economic and income difficulties, some employees are not able to return the incorrectly received amount.

Currently, the Provincial Employment Service Center has increased consultation, guidance and reminders for employees when they register for unemployment benefits or are notified of their employment status. In particular, for employees who violate the unemployment benefits policy, in addition to having the wrong amount collected, they will not be able to retain the time they have paid for unemployment insurance but have not received it. Therefore, to avoid losing their benefits, within 3 days from the date of finding a new job, employees must declare their employment status.

Dam Nguyen (TH)

Source: https://baocamau.vn/ho-tro-kip-thoi-cho-nguoi-lao-dong-bi-anh-huong-boi-dai-dich-covid-19-a68608.html