VietNamNet Bridge – The number of workers who applied for unemployment insurance is rising. By the end of May 2012, besides 175,000 workers who applied for receiving unemployment insurance, over 155,000 others were being monthly paid unemployment insurance.



The Ministry of Labor, War Invalids and Social Affairs said that in the first half of 2012, around 734,000 people got jobs, including 39,000 going overseas to work.

Compared to 2011, labor relations have been improved remarkably. The number of labor conflicts and strikes dropped sharply, with 179 strikes in January-May period, a reduction of 170 cases year on year. The number of industrial accidents also decreased, with 35 cases and 54 deaths.

By May 20, over 175,000 workers applied for unemployment insurance while over 155,000 others were being monthly paid with this kind of insurance. In addition, around 4,000 workers were paid unemployment insurance once.

According to Le Quang Trung, deputy head of the ministry's Employment, unemployment was rife in HCM City, the southern provinces of Binh Duong and Dong Nai and some other big cities. Most of the unemployed were working in the fields of processing and machinery.

One of the main reasons causing the increase is that many enterprises have reduced the number amidst economic difficulties. Besides, many enterprises have had to remove their processing workshops from big cities to prevent environmental pollution.

Trung said that the State Unemployment Insurance Fund is still under control although the number of unemployment-insurance applicants has been rapidly rising in recent times.

According to ministry regulations, as for employees with labour contracts between 12 and 36 months in length, if they are unemployed in this time they will enjoy three months of unemployment allowance, equal to 60 percent of their wage in the last six months before unemployment.

Every month, the employer will pay one percent of the wage fund towards unemployment insurance. They will also deduct one per cent of basic salaries for each worker to contribute to the fund.

The fund, which also receives support from the State budget and other legal resources, is used to pay unemployment allowance, health insurance fees for unemployment-insurance beneficiaries and support job learning and finding.

Mai Lan