The news was announced by HCMC Vice Mayor Vo Van Hoan at a press conference on July 5 introducing the city’s second support package aiming to help people hit by the Covid-19 pandemic.

Le Minh Tan, director of the HCMC Department of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs, said 24,000 workers had to terminate labor contracts with employers as the businesses were having difficulties because of Covid-19. They will receive support of VND1.8 million per worker payment but only once.

Pregnant workers and workers feeding small children aged below six will receive an extra VND1 million.

The workers to receive support are those who have had temporary suspension of the labor contract, or have taken unpaid leave during the labor contract validity for 30 days or more, from May 1 to the end of December 31.

Also, VND 1.8 million will be given to workers whose labor contracts have been terminated but don’t meet the requirements to receive unemployment allowance at enterprises, production and business workshops, private education establishments, and public education establishments that have to pay their own expenses at the preschool, primary, secondary and higher education levels, and private vocational education establishments with headquarters in the city.

According to Tan, there are many freelancers in HCMC who have lost jobs because of Covid-19. These workers don’t have labor contracts. They will receive support of VND50,000 a day from the city.

Support of VND50,000 a day will be given to vendors, petty merchants on streets, waste and scrap material collectors, porters, people who carry and transport goods by tricycles, and rudimentary vehicles; sellers of lottery tickets; the self-employed or people working at business households in the fields of catering, accommodation, tourism, health care (including security guards). Those who work in the industries and fields that have to temporarily suspend under the direction of the city will also receive this support.

Hoan said the support package shows the city’s attention to workers, employees and disadvantaged groups in society who are facing difficulties.

The municipal authorities have told local authorities to distribute the support to the right subjects, and not allow policy profiteering.

The support distribution is expected to be fulfilled by August 2021.

Freelancers need to download and fill out a form, and then provide the number of accounts, residence addresses and decisions on labor contract termination (if any) to the local authorities where they are residing. The approval of the application for support must be done within seven days. 

Tu Anh

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