Proposal on night shift allowance policies and meal support for healthcare employees in Vietnam

The Ministry of Health of Vietnam issued Official Dispatch 143/BYT-VPB1 in 2025 to address the recommendations from the voters of Ben Tre province prior to the 8th Session of the 15th National Assembly, which includes recommendations concerning night shift allowances and meal allowance policies for healthcare employees.

Proposal on night shift allowance policies and meal support for healthcare employees in Vietnam

Voter Recommendation: Currently, the policies for night shift allowances and meal allowances for healthcare employees are implemented according to Article 2 of Decision 73/2011/QD-TTg, which stipulates several specific allowance policies for officials and public employees, and employees in public healthcare facilities, as well as epidemic prevention allowances. These policies have been in place for 13 years without adjustments, despite significant changes in market prices leading to inadequacy. healthcare employees must work with high frequency, particularly during night shifts, dealing with many severe and dangerous patients, thus requiring more suitable policies. We propose that the Ministry of Health advise the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam to issue a replacement decision suitable to the current circumstances.

Currently, the Ministry of Justice has appraised, and the Ministry of Health is actively incorporating appraisal feedback to finalize a draft document amending and supplementing Decision 73/2011/QD-TTg dated December 28, 2011, of the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam concerning the regulation of several special allowance policies for officials and public employees, employees in public healthcare facilities, and epidemic prevention allowances. This includes organizing consultations with affected parties to present to the Prime Minister of the Government of Vietnam for consideration and promulgation as stipulated.

Proposal on night shift allowance policies and meal support for healthcare employees in Vietnam (Image from internet)

Recommendations for out-of-office hour medical examination to be covered by health insurance in Vietnam

Voter Recommendation: Employees participating in Health Insurance, when seeking medical examination in healthcare facilities outside office hours (since during office hours, employees still have to work at companies, enterprises, etc.), are not covered by Health Insurance policies. We propose that the Ministry of Health cooperate with related ministries and central authorities to regulate medical examination outside office hours to be covered by health insurance, allowing employees to fully benefit from health insurance policies.

According to Clause 10, Article 27 of Decree 146/2018/ND-CP dated October 18, 2018, of the Government of Vietnam, the payment for medical examination and treatment at facilities conducting health insurance-covered examinations on holidays and weekends is stipulated.

According to Clause 1, Article 105 of the Labor Code 2019, the normal working hours are regulated as follows:

“1. The normal working hours do not exceed 08 hours per day and not exceed 48 hours per week.

2. Employers have the right to stipulate working hours by day or week but must inform the employees; in cases of weekly arrangements, the normal working hours do not exceed 10 hours per day and not exceed 48 hours per week.”

The State encourages employers to implement a 40-hour work week for employees.

Therefore, the working hours of medical examination and treatment facilities are determined by the facility for 8 hours per day. If a facility organizes medical examination and treatment for more than 8 hours per day, it must arrange personnel according to regulations and sign an appendix contract with Social Insurance agencies as a basis for assessment and payment of health insurance examination and treatment costs.

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