Vietnam Social Security (VSS) has transferred 162 cases of large past due social insurance debts to the competent agencies for legal action, with many of the businesses in arrears being based in Hanoi and HCMC, the local media reported.

An employee looks at a social insurance book in this file photo. Vietnam Social Security has transferred 162 cases in which companies owe long-overdue social insurance to competent agencies

Addressing a press conference on March 26, Mai Duc Thang, deputy head of the collections department at VSS, said that social security agencies in 23 provinces and cities in the first quarter of the year decided to transfer nine cases in Hanoi and one case in HCMC to the police.

VSS at the conference also published a list of 20 firms with the highest debts, all of which operated in Hanoi and HCMC. Hanoi-based Lilama 3 company tops the list, with total debts exceeding VND32 billion, while Fenix Knitting firm in HCMC’s Thu Duc District ranks last, at over VND9.5 billion.

Data from VSS showed that more than 200 cases have been transferred to investigative agencies to date.

However, no firms have been charged so far due to cumbersome legal procedures. Accordingly, VSS and the relevant units are working to issue legal guidance on prosecuting firms that evade social insurance, remarked Thang.

To reduce social insurance debt, VSS asked social security agencies in provinces and cities to identify the causes leading to these debts at each firm to map out appropriate solutions, urge firms to pay their social insurance premiums as required and launch raids at companies that are past due by three months or more.

Inspection results will then be sent to the competent agencies for further legal proceedings.

As for enterprises found to be intentionally evading social insurance payments, VSS proposed that police agencies investigate and prosecute these firms based on the Penal Code or instruct laborers to report social insurance violators to the police.

Among the companies that owe social insurance, many have been bankrupt or disbanded, or the owners have absconded. Meanwhile, some firms have sought ways to evade paying social insurance or appropriate social insurance premiums contributed by employees to serve other purposes, Thang added.

SGT