On October 2, according to the Ministry of National Defense's Electronic Information Portal, this agency received a petition from voters of Hanoi City sent by the National Assembly's Committee for Responsibility and Supervision with the content: "Request to study and consider having a policy for soldiers discharged from the army after January 1, 1995 to have their social insurance (SI) participation period added, to encourage soldiers who have completed their service to return to their hometown to work".
Regarding this proposal, the Ministry of National Defense said that for the period from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2006, according to the provisions of Clause 2, Article 3 of the Social Insurance Charter for officers, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers, soldiers of the People's Army and the People's Public Security, issued with Decree No. 45/CP dated July 15, 1995 of the Government: For soldiers and people's public security who are subject to living expenses (one who does not have to pay social insurance) are entitled to two allowances for work-related accidents or occupational diseases and a death benefit.
Point 2 of Official Dispatch No. 993/BHXH-CDCS dated April 26, 2002 of Vietnam Social Insurance on calculating the working period of social insurance benefits for non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Army after December 15, 1993 also instructed: From January 1, 1995 onwards, according to the provisions of the Social Insurance Charter for officers, professional soldiers, non-commissioned officers and soldiers of the Vietnam People's Army and the People's Public Security issued with Decree No. 45/CP dated July 15, 1995 of the Government, for non-commissioned officers and soldiers who are entitled to personal living expenses, they do not have to pay social insurance. Therefore, the time of service in the army is not counted for social insurance.
The Ministry of National Defense also said that for the period from January 1, 2007 to present, according to the provisions of the Law on Social Insurance 2006 and guiding documents effective from January 1, 2007 onwards, non-commissioned officers and soldiers serving in the army are subject to compulsory social insurance contributions.
Therefore, the period of service in the army from January 1, 2007 onwards is counted as the period of participating in social insurance contributions. In case the soldier continues to work after being discharged from the army and has paid social insurance at other agencies and units, the service period (not receiving one-time social insurance) will be added to the working period with social insurance contributions to resolve the regime according to regulations.
"Thus, according to current law, only the time of service in the army from January 1, 2007 onwards is counted as the time participating in social insurance to calculate social insurance benefits. The period of active service from January 1, 1995 to December 31, 2006 is not subject to social insurance contributions, so it cannot be added to calculate the social insurance regime" - the Ministry of National Defense informed.
