A proposal is being considered to make July 27, Vietnam’s annual War Invalids and Martyrs Day, a paid public holiday, as lawmakers review amendments to the Labor Code and several other laws.
The National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs held its fourth plenary session on Oct. 3 to review eight draft laws before they are submitted to the legislature for consideration at its upcoming second session.
The bills include proposed amendments and supplements to provisions of the Labor Code, the Law on Archives, the Law on Gender Equality, the Law on Red Cross Activities and the Law on Employment.
Presenting the drafting agency’s proposal concerning the Labor Code, Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Cao Huy said the amendments would transfer the authority to regulate the functions, duties and organizational structure of the National Wage Council from the government to the prime minister.
Deputy Minister of Home Affairs Cao Huy. Photo: National Assembly Media
Responsibility for announcing the annual schedule of public and Lunar New Year holidays would also be transferred to the minister of home affairs, with the schedule to be announced before Sept. 30 of the preceding year.
The draft also proposes designating Nov. 24 each year as "Vietnam Culture Day," when employees would be entitled to a day off with full pay.
If approved, the addition would bring the total number of official paid public holidays to 12 days a year: one day for New Year’s Day, five for the Lunar New Year, one for the Hung Kings Commemoration Day, one for Reunification Day on April 30, one for International Labor Day, two for National Day and one for Vietnam Culture Day.
Presenting the committee’s assessment, Tran Thi Thanh Lam, deputy chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs, said the committee supported the timely institutionalization of the Party’s policy by adding Nov. 24 as Vietnam Culture Day and making it a paid day off for workers.
The holiday would affirm the importance of preserving, honoring and promoting national cultural values while giving people and workers opportunities to participate in and enjoy cultural and artistic activities.
The committee therefore considered it appropriate to incorporate the provision into the Labor Code, which directly regulates employees’ public and Lunar New Year holidays.
July 27 proposed as another paid holiday
Tran Thi Thanh Lam, deputy chairwoman of the National Assembly’s Committee for Culture and Social Affairs. Photo: National Assembly Media
Another proposal calls for studying whether July 27, observed annually as War Invalids and Martyrs Day, should also become a paid day off for employees.
A proposal on ways to commemorate and pay tribute to predecessors, national heroes, the people, war invalids, martyrs and others who rendered service to the country throughout Vietnam’s history has already been reported to competent authorities.
Adding the holiday would provide more opportunities to organize and participate in activities honoring people who contributed to the revolution and the country, while promoting Vietnam’s traditions of gratitude and remembrance.
Responding to the proposal, Huy said it was a new issue and had already been raised by the relevant professional agency. However, no official decision has yet been announced.
Once official information is available from competent authorities, the matter will be reported to the government for possible inclusion, he said.
The government previously proposed making July 27 a public holiday when the Labor Code was amended in 2019. At the time, the rationale was to give people a day off to participate in practical activities honoring those who had contributed to the revolution and the country.
However, when the proposal was submitted to the 14th National Assembly, lawmakers considered it inappropriate.
Vietnamnet.vn
Podcast
.svg){kind=icon}
