"This amount of money is not enough to cover basic living expenses, and it cannot help me maintain my life while waiting for a new job" - Mr. Khang shared.
Mr. Khang is a truck driver, renting a room in Co Nhue (Bac Tu Liem district, Hanoi), his wife is a preschool teacher, with a low salary. Since the day of retirement, all expenses in the family have to be tightened.
He calculated the subsidy to be just enough to cover electricity, water, and summer school for his children. "With money to prepare for my child's new school year, I must have sold a round ring with only 1 tael of gold to buy for the last Tet holiday" - he said, his voice declined.
In the coming months, food will have to rely on his wife's preschool teacher salary, and he will try to save as much as possible.
Also in the unemployment benefit period, Ms. Tran Thi Thuy (34 years old), who used to be an accountant at a mechanical company in Hanoi, said that she has just quit her job after 4 years of working.
The actual salary received was 12 million VND/month, Ms. Thuy only received 3.24 million VND/month in unemployment benefits, because the company only paid 5.4 million VND in social insurance - slightly higher than the regional minimum wage of 1 (4.96 million VND).
According to her, the regulation on social insurance payment is not close to the salary received, affecting the rights of employees when they quit their jobs.
"I hope to pay insurance according to the actual salary, then the unemployment benefit will really have the meaning of supporting life" - Ms. Thuy said.
According to current regulations, the monthly unemployment benefit is equal to 60% of the average monthly salary for unemployment insurance contributions of the last 6 months. The revised Law on Employment recently passed by the National Assembly continues to maintain this calculation method.
Ms. Thuy believes that with the current unemployment insurance payment level mainly based on basic salary, not reflecting actual income correctly, the benefit level of 60% is still low, although it is in accordance with the law, so that workers can maintain their lives during the period of no work...
According to the report of the Institute of State Organization Science and Labor (Ministry of Home Affairs), in the first quarter of 2025, there were 144,889 people applying for unemployment benefits, a decrease of nearly 30,000 people compared to the fourth quarter of 2024. However, this figure still reflects the unemployment situation in many occupations, especially unskilled workers with unstable jobs.
During the same period, 123,835 people had decisions to receive unemployment benefits; 406,098 people were consulted; 31,894 people were introduced to jobs; and 3,636 people were supported with vocational training.
Positive figures in support activities, but according to many workers, job introduction is often not suitable in terms of skills or income not equal to the old job, causing them to continue to fall into difficult situations.
In the context of the economy still having many fluctuations, ensuring a living standard of unemployment benefits is an urgent requirement.
Not only to help workers maintain a minimalist life, but also to give them time and conditions to improve their skills and adapt to the new job market. At that time, unemployment benefits will truly be a support.
