Notable documents of Vietnam in the previous week (from August 28 to September 3, 2023)

1. Vietnam to amend regulations on support for workers who have lost their jobs or work time reduced

On August 25, 2023, the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor promulgated Decision No. 7785/QD-TLD 2023 on amendments to Decision No. 6696/QD-TLD on the implementation of policies on support for union members and workers that have their work time reduced or their labor contracts terminated due to order decline of enterprises with the following notable contents:

(1) Eligible beneficiaries

Union members and workers working under labor contracts with enterprises that have paid trade union contributions before April 1, 2023 who have their work time reduced or are furloughed due to order decline of enterprises.

(2) Conditions for eligibility for support

Union members and workers working under labor contracts with enterprises that have paid trade union contributions before April 1, 2023 who have their work time reduced or are furloughed due to order decline of enterprises may receive support when they:

- Have their daily work time or work days per week or month reduced (excluding overtime work time reduction) or are furloughed for at least 14 days according to Clause 3 Article 99 of the Labor Code.

- Have an income (before any mandatory contribution prescribed by laws) of one or any month equal to or lower than the regional minimum base salary according to Decree No. 38/2022/ND-CP.

- Have the time of work time reduction and furlough from April 1, 2023 to the end of December 31, 2023.

See more details in Decision No. 7785/QD-TLD 2023, effective as of August 25, 2023.

2. Vietnam promulgates economic-technical norms of hydrometeorological investigation and survey

On July 31, 2023, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Environment of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 07/2023/TT-BTNMT on economic-technical norms of hydrometeorological investigation and survey.

According to the Circular, the economic-technical norms stipulating the labor use level, machinery, devices, tools, materials, energy, and fuel are used for:

- Meteorological investigation and survey

+ Meteorological surface investigation and survey;

+ Meteorological investigation and survey using automatic meteorological stations.

- Hydrological investigation and survey

+ Topographic survey for hydrological survey;

+ Hydrological investigation and survey of river areas not affected by tides;

+ Hydrological investigation and survey of river areas affected by tides;

These economic-technical norms apply to state agencies, public service providers, organizations, and individuals engaging in operations concerning hydrometeorological investigation and survey.

Circular No. 07/2023/TT-BTNMT comes into force as of September 15, 2023.

3. Vietnam’s expenditures on several law dissemination and education work

On August 18, 2023, the Ministry of Finance of Vietnam promulgated Circular No. 56/2023/TT-BTC on preparing estimates, managing, using, and settling funds for law dissemination and education, standard law access, and grassroots mediation.

According to the Circular, expenditures on law dissemination and education, standard law access, and grassroots mediation are as follows:

(1) Expenditures on the compilation of documents on law dissemination and education, standard law access, and specific grassroots mediation:

- Law leaflets (including compilation, edit, and appraisal): 1.500.000 VND per completed leaflet;

- Law question and answer situations (including compilation, edit, and appraisal): 450.000 VND per completed situation;

- Law stories (including compilation, edit, and appraisal): 2.250.000 VND per completed story;

- Law skits (including compilation, edit, appraisal, and collection of suggestions from experts): 7.500.000 VND per completed skit;

 (2) Expenditures on the development and maintenance of activities of law clubs and core groups:

- Expenditures on food and drinks for members participating in law club launching conferences: 50.000 VND per person per day (no more than 1 day);

- Expenditures on drinks for participants of activities of law clubs and core groups: 20.000 VND per person per session.

(3) Expenditures on the preparation of statistical reports on law dissemination and education, standard law access, and grassroots mediation:

- Collection of information and processing of reporting data of ministries and central and local authorities: 75.000 VND per report;

- Reports of ministries and central and local authorities: up to 4.500.000 VND per report;

- General reports for submission to the Government and/or Prime Minister of Vietnam: up to 7.500.000 VND per report.

See more details in Circular No. 56/2023/TT-BTC, effective as of October 6, 2023.

4. Vietnam to review the handling of property and headquarters of agencies and organizations after arrangement of administrative divisions

On August 29, 2023, the Prime Minister of Vietnam sent Official Telegram No. 771/CD-TTg 2023 on reviewing the handling of property and headquarters of agencies and organizations in administrative divisions that have performed the arrangement during 2019-2021 and the implementation scheme for 2023-2030 with the following notable contents:  

- Presidents of provincial People’s Committees shall urgently direct the review and preparation of lists and assessment of the condition and use of public headquarters in administrative divisions, etc.

- The Ministry of Finance of Vietnam, Ministry of Justice of Vietnam, Vietnam Social Security, and other ministries, and central authorities with headquarters in administrative divisions of districts and communes according to the 2019-2021 arrangement that are no longer required shall transfer such headquarters and real estate to provincial People’s Committees for effective arrangement, management, and use, preventing waste, negativity, corruption, etc.

- The Minister of Finance of Vietnam shall, based on the practical requirements, study and propose the development of a Decree replacing Decree No. 167/2017/ND-CP, Decree No. 67/2021/ND-CP, and relevant legislative documents to facilitate the handling of property and headquarters of agencies and organizations in administrative divisions subject to the arrangement, etc.

See more details in Official Telegram No. 771/CD-TTg dated August 29, 2023.

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