Vietnam Labor Stats
The National Assembly of Vietnam passed the new Labor Code on June 18, 2012 which took effect on May 1, 2013. This came about after protracted debates, concessions, and a number of redrafts. The policy replaced the Labor Code of 1994 with the objective of enhancing the labor market and industrial relations in the country. However, the new Code allegedly strengthens the position of employees and reduces management flexibility from the point of view of employers. The new legislation brings in major developments associated with labor contracts, working hours, labor outsourcing, internal labor rules, and hiring of foreign employees.
Some of the Code’s provisions include increasing minimum salary level during probation from 70 to 85 percent of the full salary; adding an additional day to the Lunar New Year holiday; and, programming 10 public holidays for workers. Thus, employees are entitled to fully paid leaves during these days. The maternity leave has also been increased from four to six months. The new law also amends existing provisions like the regulation of overtime work and collective labor agreements.
Trade unions in Vietnam believe that these changes to the Labor Code and its guiding rules have an obvious partiality towards trade union involvement in certain labor-related matters. For instance, a trade union has to comment on provisions of a company's internal labor regulations before being registered. The absence of a registered ILR renders an employer's disciplinary action against employees without legal basis. Therefore, the ILR should state openly that participation in unsanctioned strikes is subject to discipline. Without this clause, a company may not be able to terminate an employee even if the individual was absent from work without valid reasons. Strikes in Vietnam are considered illegal since proper industrial action must be organized by a trade union.
Definitions
- Employment rate > Adults: Employment to population ratio is the proportion of a country's population that is employed. Ages 15 and older are generally considered the working-age population.
- GNI > Current US$: GNI (current US$). GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current U.S. dollars.
- GNI > Current US$ per capita: GNI (current US$). GNI (formerly GNP) is the sum of value added by all resident producers plus any product taxes (less subsidies) not included in the valuation of output plus net receipts of primary income (compensation of employees and property income) from abroad. Data are in current U.S. dollars. Figures expressed per capita for the same year.
- Hours worked > Standard workweek: Standard workweek (hours).
- Labor force: The total labor force figure
- Labor force > By occupation: Component parts of the labor force by occupation.
- Labor force > By occupation > Agriculture: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
- Labor force > By occupation > Industry: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
- Labor force > By occupation > Services: This entry lists the percentage distribution of the labor force by occupation. The distribution will total less than 100 percent if the data are incomplete.
- Labor force per 1000: The total labor force figure. Figures expressed per thousand population for the same year.
- Labor force, total: Labor force, total. Total labor force comprises people ages 15 and older who meet the International Labour Organization definition of the economically active population: all people who supply labor for the production of goods and services during a specified period. It includes both the employed and the unemployed. While national practices vary in the treatment of such groups as the armed forces and seasonal or part-time workers, in general the labor force includes the armed forces, the unemployed, and first-time job-seekers, but excludes homemakers and other unpaid caregivers and workers in the informal sector.
- Rigidity of employment index: The rigidity of employment index measures the regulation of employment, specifically the hiring and firing of workers and the rigidity of working hours. This index is the average of three subindexes: a difficulty of hiring index, a rigidity of hours index, and a difficulty of firing index. The index ranges from 0 to 100, with higher values indicating more rigid regulations.
- Salaries and benefits > Hourly minimum wage: Hourly minimum wage at international USD (this means that discrepancies in purchasing power have been compensated for).
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Salaries and benefits > Minimum wage:
Minimum wage.
No date was available from the Wikipedia article, so we used the date of retrieval.
- Unemployment rate: The percent of the labor force that is without jobs. Substantial underemployment might be noted.
SOURCES: International Labour Organisation, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.; World Bank national accounts data; World Bank national accounts data. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; Wikipedia: List of minimum wages by country (Countries) ("Country Reports on Human Rights Practices for 2013" . State.gov . Retrieved 2014-03-04 .); CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011; All CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 18 December 2008; CIA World Factbooks 18 December 2003 to 28 March 2011. Population figures from World Bank: (1) United Nations Population Division. World Population Prospects, (2) United Nations Statistical Division. Population and Vital Statistics Report (various years), (3) Census reports and other statistical publications from national statistical offices, (4) Eurostat: Demographic Statistics, (5) Secretariat of the Pacific Community: Statistics and Demography Programme, and (6) U.S. Census Bureau: International Database.; International Labour Organization, Key Indicators of the Labour Market database.; World Development Indicators database; Wikipedia: List of minimum wages by country (Countries)
Citation
Vietnam Labor Profiles (Subcategories)
- Vietnam ranked first for economic activity > both sexes aged 25-29 amongst Hot countries in 2010.
- Vietnam ranked first for labor force, total amongst Former French colonies in 2012.
- Vietnam has had the highest GNI per capita > constant LCU since 2003.
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The National Assembly of Vietnam passed the new Labor Code on June 18, 2012 which took effect on May 1, 2013. This came about after protracted debates, concessions, and a number of redrafts. The policy replaced the Labor Code of 1994 with the objective of enhancing the labor market and industrial relations in the country. However, the new Code allegedly strengthens the position of employees and reduces management flexibility from the point of view of employers. The new legislation brings in major developments associated with labor contracts, working hours, labor outsourcing, internal labor rules, and hiring of foreign employees.
Some of the Code’s provisions include increasing minimum salary level during probation from 70 to 85 percent of the full salary; adding an additional day to the Lunar New Year holiday; and, programming 10 public holidays for workers. Thus, employees are entitled to fully paid leaves during these days. The maternity leave has also been increased from four to six months. The new law also amends existing provisions like the regulation of overtime work and collective labor agreements.
Trade unions in Vietnam believe that these changes to the Labor Code and its guiding rules have an obvious partiality towards trade union involvement in certain labor-related matters. For instance, a trade union has to comment on provisions of a company's internal labor regulations before being registered. The absence of a registered ILR renders an employer's disciplinary action against employees without legal basis. Therefore, the ILR should state openly that participation in unsanctioned strikes is subject to discipline. Without this clause, a company may not be able to terminate an employee even if the individual was absent from work without valid reasons. Strikes in Vietnam are considered illegal since proper industrial action must be organized by a trade union.