Expanding unemployment insurance coverage: Strengthening the safety net

After more than 16 years of implementation, the unemployment insurance policy has truly become one of the important pillars of social security.

According to Ms. Le Thi Chi (Buon Ma Thuot Ward), she has worked for a business in the province for more than 8 years. In early 2025, she decided to quit her job and went to the Provincial Employment Service Center to complete the procedures to receive unemployment benefits. After about 20 days, she completed the application and began receiving unemployment benefits. To date, she has received 5 months of benefits with an amount of nearly 3 million VND/month. Thanks to this money, her life is less difficult while looking for a new job.

Ea Kar Social Insurance staff resolves benefits for participants.

Mr. Nguyen Van Trung (Ea Kao Ward) also worked at a construction company for more than 7 years, so when he lost his job, he applied for unemployment benefits with an amount of nearly 2.5 million VND/month. Mr. Trung expressed: "During unemployment, receiving benefits, although not much, is practical and meaningful to me. Moreover, during these months of unemployment, I still received support to participate in health insurance, so I feel very secure."

According to Dak Lak Social Insurance, as of July 31, the whole province had 160,748 people participating in unemployment insurance and in the first 7 months of the year, the provincial Social Insurance paid unemployment benefits to 9,682 people, an increase of 11% over the same period in 2024; paid vocational training support to 691 people, an increase of 26% over the same period in 2024.

According to the 2013 Law on Employment, unemployment insurance policies include: Unemployment benefits; job counseling and referral support; vocational training support; training, fostering, and improving vocational skills to maintain employment for employees.

The monthly unemployment benefit is equal to 60% of the average monthly salary for the 6 consecutive months prior to unemployment. Unemployment benefits are determined based on the number of months of unemployment insurance contributions.

Specifically, paying social insurance for 12 - 36 months will receive 3 months of benefits; then for every additional 12 months of payment, you will receive 1 more month of benefits. The maximum benefit period is 12 months.

However, the current reality is that although informal workers account for more than 60% of the country's workforce, they still do not have the opportunity to access this policy. Meanwhile, informal workers often have unstable jobs, uncertain incomes, and are outside the "fence" of enterprises.

Therefore, in order for the unemployment insurance policy to cover the informal labor group, the Employment Law 2025 (effective from January 1, 2026) with many new points related to the unemployment insurance policy contributes to affirming humanity and encouraging workers to participate.

Workers at a garment company in the province.

Specifically, the subjects participating in unemployment insurance are expanded to include: Employees working under labor contracts with a term of 1 month to less than 3 months; employees working under part-time labor contracts whose monthly salary is equal to or higher than the lowest salary used as the basis for social insurance contributions according to the Social Insurance Law 2024. The subjects participating in unemployment insurance cover all cases of agreements with other names but with content showing paid work and management, operation, and supervision by one party and some other subjects receiving salaries...

Thus, compared to the old regulation which only covered contracts of more than 3 months, the new law has shortened the minimum contract period to 1 month and expanded to other paid jobs. This means that a large number of short-term contract workers or those working without formal employment will be required to pay unemployment insurance from 2026, contributing to a significant increase in the number of participants compared to before as well as aiming to reduce difficulties for the unemployed.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/chinh-sach-xa-hoi/chinh-sach-bhxh-bhyt/202509/mo-rong-doi-tuong-tham-gia-bao-hiem-that-nghiep-tang-cuong-luoi-an-sinh-75d1588/