Can the employee request a salary increase from the company in Vietnam?

Can the employee request a salary increase from the company in Vietnam?

Pursuant to Article 90 of the Labor Code 2019, the salary regulations are as follows:

1. A salary is an amount the employer pays the employee under an agreement for a work performed by the latter. Salary equals (=) base salary plus (+) allowances and other additional amounts.

2. The base salary must not fall below the statutory minimum wages.

3. Employers shall pay salaries fairly without discrimination against genders of employees who perform equal works.

Article 103 of this Code stipulates the salary increase, rank increase, allowances and allowances

Pay rises including increases in salary, pay grades, allowance, benefits and other types of incentives for an employee shall be agreed on in the employment contract or the collective bargaining agreement, or stipulated in the regulations of the employer.

According to this Article, the salary increase will be carried out according to the agreement of the parties or collective labor agreement, company regulations and there is no regulation that the employee can request a salary increase in Vietnam.

Calling employees to set wages for buying goods, are business owners penalized?

According to Clause 2, Article 17 of Decree 12/2022/ND-CP on sanctioning violations of salary regulations:

2. The following fines shall be imposed upon an employer for commission of one of the following violations: Failing to pay salaries on schedule as prescribed by law; failing to pay or insufficiently paying salaries to employees as agreed in their employment contracts; failing to make or insufficiently making overtime pay; failing to make or insufficiently making nightshift pay; failing to pay or insufficiently paying work suspension allowances as prescribed by law; restricting or interfering employees’ spending of their salaries; forcing employees to spend their salaries on goods or services of the employer or any particular providers decided by the employer; deducting from employees’ salaries in breach of law; failing to pay or insufficiently paying salaries to employees how are reassigned to perform works which are not specified in their employment contracts or during a strike; failing to make or insufficiently making payments to employees who, due to employment termination or job loss, have not taken or not entirely taken up their annual leave in compensation for their untaken leave days; failing to make or insufficiently making advance payments to employees who temporarily leave their works in accordance with regulations of law; failing to pay full salaries to employees who are not disciplined for their work suspension period:

a) A fine ranging from VND 5.000.000 to VND 10.000.000 shall be imposed if the violation involves 01 - 10 employees;

b) A fine ranging from VND 10.000.000 to VND 20.000.000 shall be imposed if the violation involves 11 - 50 employees;

c) A fine ranging from VND 20.000.000 to VND 30.000.000 shall be imposed if the violation involves 51 - 100 employees;

d) A fine ranging from VND 30.000.000 to VND 40.000.000 shall be imposed if the violation involves 101 - 300 employees;

dd) A fine ranging from VND 40.000.000 to VND 50.000.000 shall be imposed if the violation involves 301 employees or more.

Thus, with the act of urging employees to set aside their salaries to buy goods, the business owner may be fined between VND 5,000,000 and VND 50,000,000 in Vietnam. If the employer has this behavior, you can report to the Chief Inspector of the Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs for settlement.

Best Regards!