Workers are deprived of their rights.
On October 17, Gia Lai Province Social Insurance said that according to the latest statistics, the whole province has 1,637 units with 22,644 employees, of which 862 units have not participated in compulsory social insurance and health insurance corresponding to 12,688 employees and 775 enterprises have not fully participated in compulsory social insurance and health insurance for 9,956 employees.
Pleiku City alone has 752 units that have not participated in compulsory social insurance and health insurance with 6,238 employees; 450 units have not fully participated in compulsory social insurance and health insurance with 1,350 employees.
Mr. Nguyen Van Tai, Director of a private enterprise in Pleiku City, Gia Lai, said: “This year, the economic situation and production activities of the company are facing difficulties. Project investors still owe money for construction and have not yet cleared the company's orders. The company is struggling to borrow capital and pay interest regularly every month to the bank, so it does not have enough financial resources to arrange insurance payments for employees. The company owner himself is also very sad about this situation, worried that employees will be discouraged, but has to promise that when the economy improves, the director will fulfill his obligations fully.”
Ms. Bui Thi Hinh - a worker at the Textile Company on Le Duan Street, Pleiku City - shared: “The company has reduced orders, many workers have to work seasonally, work part-time, or take time off. However, paying insurance for workers is extremely necessary, so that when they get sick or have an accident, workers can be hospitalized for less expensive treatment. Many workers suffer from occupational diseases, are constantly sick, and if they are hospitalized, it is normal to spend 3-4 months of salary. Everyone is worried when they are sick because of the lack of expenses, and their children are school-age... Employers can owe insurance for 2-3 months, but if it lasts longer than 6 months, workers will lose confidence and suffer.”
Need to protect workers' rights
Mr. Tran Van Luc - Director of Gia Lai Provincial Social Insurance - assessed that employers not participating or not fully participating in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance have negative impacts on employees. Employees lose their social insurance benefits and are not entitled to pension benefits if they do not pay enough years of social insurance as prescribed.
If the unit does not participate in social insurance, employees cannot enjoy benefits such as sickness, maternity, work accidents or occupational diseases, causing difficulties in cases of needing health care or protecting personal rights.
Employees also lose their health insurance benefits and are not paid for medical examination and treatment costs. Not having full insurance coverage can make employees worry about uncertainty and instability in their lives, reducing satisfaction and motivation to work. "The unit requests that departments and branches of Gia Lai province, based on their functions, tasks and assigned areas, actively coordinate and implement social insurance and health insurance policies in their assigned and responsible areas," said Mr. Tran Van Luc.
The provincial Social Insurance recommends that when businesses sign labor contracts, they fully participate in social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance for employees and transfer the case file to the police investigation agency if it is discovered that the company has evaded paying social insurance for a long time, seriously violating the law.
Gia Lai Provincial Social Insurance will publicize the identity of the units that owe insurance premiums on mass media. In professional work, the unit's staff will support employees to look up their social insurance, health insurance, and unemployment insurance payment periods, helping employees fully grasp information about the payment and submission of the enterprise. Thanks to that, workers and employees will be more proactive in participating in monitoring the implementation of insurance policies and laws by enterprises.
