Using juvenile labor without parental consent, fine up to 50 million VND

Lawyer Cong Thuy Duong, YouMe Law Company Limited answers:

Clause 1, Article 143 of the 2019 Labor Code stipulates on juvenile labor as follows:

1. Juvenile workers are workers who are not yet 18 years old.

Point a, Clause 2, Article 27 of Chapter II of Decree No. 283/2026/ND-CP stipulates penalties for administrative violations in the fields of labor, social insurance, and Vietnamese workers going to work abroad under contracts (effective from September 10, 2026), stipulating penalties in cases of violation of regulations on juvenile labor as follows:

2. A fine of between 20 million VND and 25 million VND shall be imposed on employers for one of the following acts:

a) Using juvenile labor without the consent of the parent or guardian of that juvenile;

Clause 1, Article 7 of Decree No. 283/2026/ND-CP stipulates the level of fines and principles of application for repeated administrative violations as follows:

1. The penalty level stipulated for administrative violations specified in Chapter II, Chapter III and Chapter IV of this Decree is the penalty level for individuals; except for cases specified in: Article 8; Article 9; Clause 3, Article 10; Clauses 3, 4, 5, 6, Article 19; Clauses 2, 4, Article 36; Clause 1, Article 37; Clauses 1, 5, 6, 7, 8, Article 38; Clause 3, Article 42; Clauses 6, 11, Article 48; Article 49; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, Article 50; Clauses 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, Article 52; Clause 4, Article 53 of this Decree is the penalty level for organizations. The penalty level for organizations is 2 times the penalty level for individuals.

Thus, from September 10, 2026, businesses using juvenile labor without the consent of the father, mother or guardian of that juvenile may be fined from 40 million VND to 50 million VND according to the above regulations.