Peace of mind because of more benefits
Ms. Nguyen Thi Hong Gam, born in 1985, from Ngoc Thien commune, Bac Ninh province. Gam is a worker at HTH Company (Ha Dong ward, Hanoi), currently Gam is on maternity leave.
Ms. Gam said that she came from her hometown to Hanoi to work for more than 20 years. Having gone through many jobs and companies, she clearly feels the position and rights of workers when working as freelancers and when they are official workers.
Previously, Ms. Gam used to "run" through many seasonal jobs, for decades without participating in social insurance, sick without any benefits. Since becoming a worker at HTH Company, she has enjoyed more benefits and felt a greater position as a worker.
My daily job is doing jobs related to printing, packaging printing products. My total income is about 9 million VND/month, including lunch support of 30,000 VND/day; house rental support of 1 million VND/month...", Ms. Gam said.
Ms. Gam said that for a worker far from home for more than 20 years and still living in a rented house like her, the rent support of 1 million VND/month is "extremely precious". Currently, the total rent, electricity and water for Ms. Gam's family costs nearly 3 million VND/month. The company's support helps her reduce more than 1/3 of the monthly fixed costs for her family.
My husband is also a worker, his company does not have housing rental support. I feel shared and relieved a lot because the amount of 1 million VND has helped us rent a more decent room. This support, the precarious working time before, I have never enjoyed...", Ms. Gam said.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Ly, 34 years old (Quang Trung ward, Thanh Hoa province) used to be a hired saleswoman at clothing stores.
The initial reason Ms. Ly chose to sell goods for hire was because she wanted time to take care of her family and children. However, behind the freedom of time is countless lurking risks.
Working as a freelancer means getting money every day. Especially, because I don't have health insurance, every time I get sick and go to the hospital, I am startled by the costs. I am very afraid that every time I get sick, just the cost of ultrasound and tests will cost several hundred thousand VND, if I have to stay in the hospital, the cost of bed, medicine, food... will just consume all the savings accumulated every day" - Ms. Ly recalled.
It was the health incident and financial pressure that made Ms. Ly realize the core value of stability. She decided to stop her freelance job to apply for a job at a local bakery from May 2025. Currently, with the job of sales staff, Ms. Ly maintains a stable income of 7-9 million VND/month. What makes her feel most secure when returning to work at the business is her health insurance card and social insurance book.
Since the fixed working days, family expenses are ensured regularly. When sick and taking leave, I still receive leave and have insurance to support medical examination and treatment costs" - Ms. Ly said.
Social Security stability
Assessing the fact that workers from the informal sector actively move to work at factories and companies, Mr. Le Quang Trung - former Deputy Director in charge of the Department of Employment, said that this is a positive sign and a completely correct direction in the current labor market context.
According to Mr. Le Quang Trung, this shift first of all brings direct and sustainable benefits to the workers themselves. "Unofficial workers often face the situation of "three no's": No labor contracts, no social insurance (BHXH) and unstable income. When they decide to switch to official work at businesses and factories, the biggest gain is stability. They have a fixed monthly salary, have a basis to manage family spending and no longer have to worry every day about unstable orders on the streets," Mr. Trung said.
In particular, Mr. Trung emphasized the core rights when workers participate in the compulsory social security net. When becoming official workers and employees, they are paid social insurance, health insurance and unemployment insurance by the company. This is a lifebuoy to protect them from risks of work accidents, short-term illnesses, and further, to ensure a solid pension when they are old.
Many freelancers at a young age only see immediate benefits as daily cash flow. But when faced with the pressure of increasingly expensive urban costs or when their health declines, they realize the value of the insurance card and pension regime. Entering factories and companies not only helps them improve their professional skills but is also an insurance ticket for the future, helping them not become a burden for their families when they reach retirement age," Mr. Le Quang Trung analyzed.
From a macro perspective, Mr. Le Quang Trung affirmed that this trend plays an important role in improving the quality of human resources and stabilizing social security. Workers moving to the formal sector will be covered by the social security net, they will fully enjoy their rights and have people who are cared for and supported by grassroots trade unions in terms of material and spiritual life. Especially, there are conditions to be supported with training to improve skills, qualifications and teamwork skills...
Successfully attracting freelance labor into the formal sector helps increase revenue for the social insurance fund and realize the State's goal of universal social security," Mr. Trung said.
