Businesses owe social insurance for a long time, workers suffer double losses
The situation of businesses being slow to pay and owing social insurance (SI) for a long time has caused workers to lose their social security benefits and cause difficulties when looking for new jobs.
Losing social security benefits, struggling to find new jobs
Many workers in Ho Chi Minh City are suffering the consequences of businesses owing social insurance for a long time. Not only are they owed wages and losing their jobs, they also face difficulties in resolving insurance regimes, directly affecting their lives and opportunities to find new jobs.
Mr. Nguyen Van Trang (52 years old, from An Giang) is one of the workers affected when Hoang Sinh Import-Export Joint Stock Company (abbreviated as Hoang Sinh Company, Binh Duong ward, Ho Chi Minh City) owed salaries and social insurance contributions. Mr. Trang shared that he quit his job in October 2024 but has not been paid 3 months' salary by the company. Meanwhile, the fact that the business owes social insurance contributions makes it difficult for him to resolve insurance regimes. Due to not being guaranteed health insurance benefits, he is also hesitant to go to the doctor when sick.
Similarly, more than 1,600 workers who used to work at Loi Hao Vietnam Trading and Production Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as Loi Hao Company, Uyen Hung Industrial Cluster, Tan Uyen Ward, Ho Chi Minh City) were also affected after the enterprise ceased operations in September 2025. To date, this enterprise still owes social insurance contributions of about 15 billion VND. Resolving insurance benefits for workers here is still a matter of concern.
Notably, the situation of social insurance debt also becomes a barrier when workers change jobs. Ms. L.T.H. T (born in 2001, residing in An Phu ward, Ho Chi Minh City) said that she was owed social insurance contributions from January 2022 to March 2024 by Sang Production - Import-Export - Trading Co., Ltd. (abbreviated as Sang Company, Thu Duc ward, Ho Chi Minh City). After quitting her job, she encountered difficulties in finding a new job because she had not resolved the insurance debt situation at her old business.
For nearly 2 years, I have looked for work in many places but could not sign a labor contract. No job and stable income make my life difficult. I have to find a temporary job to earn money to cover living expenses, waiting for businesses to pay outstanding social insurance contributions and close social insurance books to apply for a job at another company" - Ms. T shared.
Ms. Tran Ngoc Thao (born in 1986, residing in Thuan An ward, Ho Chi Minh City) is also a worker who is owed social insurance by the above enterprise. Ms. Thao informed that she was not granted maternity benefits and faced difficulties when going for medical examination and treatment. The family's current income is only based on her husband's monthly salary of 9 million VND. When Ms. Thao applied for a job at a business in Thuan Giao ward, she was not accepted because of problems related to the social insurance book not yet finalized.
The above cases show that social insurance debt has caused double damage to workers. Businesses owing social insurance not only negatively impact the enjoyment of social security policies but also push workers into a difficult situation when looking for new jobs.
Coordinate lawsuits, have measures to recover social insurance debts
Faced with the situation of businesses owing social insurance for a long time, Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance is coordinating with functional agencies to handle the case, promote debt recovery and protect the legitimate rights of employees.
The top priority solution is to remove obstacles so that workers can soon stabilize their lives. At hot spots at Hoang Sinh Company, Loi Hao Company, Sang Company, the grassroots social insurance agency coordinates with local authorities to close social insurance books and issue separate forms to workers. Completing this procedure helps workers promptly enjoy the remaining social security policies or meet the legal conditions to be signed labor contracts at new businesses.
In parallel with removing difficulties for workers, functional agencies are promoting strong legal measures to recover outstanding debts. Regarding the case at Hoang Sinh Company, Binh Duong Grassroots Social Insurance has completed the handover of all related dossiers to the People's Procuracy of Region 15 of Ho Chi Minh City for consideration and lawsuit against businesses according to regulations. This is an important step between the insurance agency and the prosecuting agency to create a solid legal basis to protect the rights of the collective of workers.
Social Insurance strengthens coordination with sectors, authorities, localities, tax authorities, and trade union organizations to inspect and handle cases of late payment and evasion of payment according to the provisions of law. For units that have been administratively sanctioned in the field of social insurance but still do not implement remedial measures, Ho Chi Minh City Social Insurance will submit to the Ho Chi Minh City People's Committee to issue a decision to coercively deduct money from the unit's account to enforce the decision to sanction administrative violations. In addition, continue to complete dossiers to transfer to the Police agency to propose prosecution of units that evade social insurance contributions for employees.
Tightening economic and criminal sanctions is not only aimed at reclaiming legitimate rights for workers, but also a serious warning to businesses in implementing social security for workers.
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