Speaking with Lao Dong reporter on July 12, Dr. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong - Former Director of the Institute of Labor Science and Social Affairs (Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs) completely agreed with the State joining hands to solve difficulties for 200,000 workers who owe social insurance due to business dissolution, bankruptcy, owners absconding or restructuring... However, Ms. Huong said that there must be a closer business management mechanism. Firstly, when a business generates income, it immediately makes contributions to funds for paying employees. Whenever there is money generated, it is immediately paid to employees, salary payment and mandatory payments must be made consecutively. Secondly, employees must have an account to check and manage social insurance contributions and benefits, payment and benefit notifications must be displayed like a bank account, or there must be some way to cross-check.
Ms. Nguyen Thi Lan Huong assessed that the current concept of closing the book is quite outdated, so the plan should be to pay as much as possible. Meanwhile, the Law on Social Insurance stipulates that enterprises can choose to pay social insurance monthly; pay 3 months/time; pay 6 months/time... The fact that enterprises have the right to choose the payment date, payment time... makes it even more difficult for employees to grasp information about their social insurance payments.
“I also propose that the insurance industry must have a reserve fund. This is an economic relationship, contribution - benefit. The State only handles cases of force majeure,” said Ms. Lan Huong.
Mr. Bui Sy Loi, former Vice Chairman of the Social Affairs Committee (now the Social Committee) of the National Assembly, said that we must help workers in difficulty when they do not know where to turn.
“If workers have no one to rely on, the State must have policies. The State uses the social welfare fund to take care of workers. Taking care of workers is taking care of itself, maintaining and developing businesses... When businesses are stable, the State receives budget revenue,” said Mr. Bui Sy Loi.
Regarding the implementation of the task of removing difficulties for 200,000 workers, Mr. Loi said that the implementing agencies were being mechanical because they were afraid of doing it wrong. However, Mr. Loi emphasized: “If we don’t steal or take other people’s money, how can they beat us? The point of view is to take care of the workers because they are in great difficulty. If the State can take care of it and businesses can support it, we have to do it.”
Regarding concerns that the State's handling of social insurance debts could set a bad precedent, Mr. Loi said that this was the last time it would be resolved and requested that the authorities intervene because the Social Insurance Law stipulates criminal penalties for acts related to social insurance evasion.
"From now on, we must strictly control and immediately prevent acts of evading social insurance payments," Mr. Loi emphasized.
