Not clearly appreciating the rights
Ms. Truong Ngoc Anh is an accounting and purchasing department employee of a company specializing in providing Japanese food and household appliances. Having worked at the company for 4 years, Ms. Ngoc Anh got married in mid-2024 and is currently pregnant with her first child.
Since becoming pregnant, Ms. Ngoc Anh has researched a lot about social insurance regimes and the Labor Law to learn about her rights. She proposed to the department's leaders to report to the business leaders to create conditions for them to enjoy the benefits according to the law.
Previously, my work was almost unterminous. When the sales department has a request, at 10pm, I still have to contact the supplier to place an order, carry out payment procedures... Since I was pregnant, I have had a suggestion to work only during office hours. But since the proposal, 2 months later, the company has arranged for me to reduce some part of my work outside of office hours. In general, there have not been many changes in benefits, and I do not clearly feel the different benefits during pregnancy, said Ms. Ngoc Anh.
Ms. Dam Thi Mai is a sewing machine at a garment company in Ha Dong district (Hanoi). When pregnant with her first child, Ms. Mai proposed to the department head to be assigned a lighter job in accordance with the provisions of the Labor Code. However, after 2 months of arrangement, the company has not been able to reduce the workload for Ms. Mai.
"I waited for a long time before the department head informed me to take a look inside the department, and if there was a position in the department that was more easy, I would proactively propose. The problem is that in the same department, everyone's job is the same...", Ms. Mai shared.
The implementation of female labor rights depends largely on business owners
Talking to reporters of Lao Dong Newspaper about the exercise of the rights of female workers, especially pregnant female workers, Mr. Pham Ngoc Phu - Director of Phu Anh Applied Fine Arts Company - said that the implementation and facilitation of the exercise of these rights depends largely on the heart and compliance of employers.
Mr. Phu said that his company has more than 80 employees, 60% of whom are female workers. Of which, women of reproductive age account for 70%.
"Over the years, I have seriously implemented preferential policies for female workers, especially pregnant female workers. For example, with the personnel of the design and construction department during the maternity period, I am willing to transfer them to the personnel and administrative department, taking on more light work to ensure health. At the same time, absolutely limit sending pregnant staff to work, construction sites and work overtime, said Mr. Phu.
According to the Labor Code, pregnant women have many benefits. In particular, according to Clause 2, Article 137, female workers in arduous, toxic, dangerous or especially arduous, toxic, dangerous jobs or jobs that negatively affect reproductive and child-rearing functions during pregnancy and have the employer informed, will be transferred by the employer to a lighter, safer job without having their salary and rights and benefits reduced until the end of the period of raising children under 12 months old.
Clause 1, Article 137 stipulates that employers are not allowed to employ female workers to work at night, work overtime and work far away in case of pregnancy from the 7th month or from the 6th month if working in mountainous areas, remote areas, border areas, islands; raising children under 12 months old, except in cases where the employee agrees.
