Female workers are excited.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan (from Kim Boi district, Hoa Binh) is currently working as an administrative staff at a software company located in Cau Giay district, Hanoi. Ms. Lan is pregnant with her first child, due in August 2025.
After learning about the Social Insurance Law 2024, Ms. Lan is very happy because she will enjoy more benefits compared to the Social Insurance Law 2014.
“I carefully studied and found that Article 51 of the Social Insurance Law 2024 stipulates that the maximum time off work to receive maternity benefits when having prenatal check-ups from July 1, 2025 is 5 times, each time not exceeding 2 days. Thus, the total time for prenatal check-ups during pregnancy is 10 days, double that of the Social Insurance Law 2014,” said Ms. Lan.
Also happy to have more time for prenatal check-ups, Ms. Hoang Thi Hien - an employee of a garment company located in Ha Dong district could not hide her joy. Ms. Hien has been married for nearly ten years, after many years of persistent infertility treatment, she has conceived an embryo and is expected to transfer the embryo in April 2025.
“I am 40 years old, getting pregnant naturally at this age is already difficult, let alone having to intervene like I did. Being given twice the time for prenatal check-ups compared to the old law makes me very happy. Having more time for check-ups makes me feel more secure,” Ms. Hien said emotionally.
According to Ms. Hien, the 2024 Social Insurance Law also expands the eligibility conditions for infertile female workers, adding a provision allowing female workers who give birth and have to take time off work to treat infertility, they only need to pay compulsory social insurance for at least 6 months in the 24 consecutive months before giving birth to be eligible for maternity benefits.
More benefits
The Social Insurance Law 2024 officially takes effect from July 1, 2025, including amendments and supplements to a number of contents related to the rights of female workers.
First of all, the law expands the eligibility conditions for infertile female workers. Accordingly, the 2024 Social Insurance Law has an important addition for cases where female workers who give birth must take time off work to treat infertility.
In reality, many infertile female workers have to take unpaid leave for several months (without paying compulsory social insurance during this time) to undergo infertility treatment, or have to take early maternity leave when pregnant. Therefore, they find it difficult to meet the requirement of paying social insurance for 12 months before giving birth according to the Social Insurance Law 2014.
The 2024 Social Insurance Law has added a provision allowing female employees who give birth and have to take time off work for infertility treatment to be eligible for maternity benefits. They only need to pay compulsory social insurance for at least 6 months in the 24 consecutive months before giving birth.
The above regulation will help many female workers who are infertile or undergoing infertility treatment have the opportunity to receive maternity benefits, supporting them during childbirth.
According to the 2014 Social Insurance Law, female employees are allowed to take 5 days off for prenatal check-ups, 1 day each time; in case the medical facility is far away or the pregnant woman has a medical condition or an abnormal pregnancy, she is allowed to take 2 days off for each prenatal check-up.
The 2024 Social Insurance Law clearly stipulates: "Pregnant female employees are entitled to maternity leave to go for prenatal check-ups up to 5 times, each time not exceeding 2 days."
The 2024 Social Insurance Law also increases maternity leave for female workers who have miscarriages.
Accordingly, in case of miscarriage, abortion, stillbirth, stillbirth during labor, or ectopic pregnancy, pregnant female workers are entitled to maternity leave from 10 to 50 days, depending on the age of the fetus.
According to the 2014 Social Insurance Law, female employees are entitled to a maximum of 50 days of maternity leave in this case when the pregnancy is 25 weeks or more.
The 2024 Social Insurance Law reduces this condition, only requiring a pregnancy of 22 weeks or more to be eligible for maternity leave of up to 50 days.
