One-time allowance for workers retiring early in particularly difficult areas

Mr. C.V.T (Thai Nguyen) requested functional agencies to guide the settlement of benefits for the case of former Deputy Head of the Department of Natural Resources and Environment, who retired early according to Decree No. 178/2024/ND-CP in decision dated March 31, 2025 of the District People's Committee (before arrangement).

This case has a working time in a particularly difficult area of 19 years. So is it entitled to a one-time allowance when retiring in a region with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP?

On September 10, 2025, the Department of Home Affairs issued an official dispatch on the implementation of policies and regimes according to Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP, which replied: "the case of civil servants retiring early according to Decree No. 178/2024/ND-CP dated December 31, 2024 of the Government (amended and supplemented in Decree No. 67/2025/ND-CP dated March 15, 2025 of the Government) is not a retirement to enjoy social insurance benefits as prescribed, therefore there is no basis to implement one-time allowance upon retirement as prescribed in Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP mentioned above".

However, individuals who have decided to retire early according to Decree No. 178/2024/ND-CP dated December 31, 2024 of the Government all believe that they must be entitled to a one-time allowance because Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP only mentions that when retiring, they are entitled to a one-time allowance when working for more than 10 years in particularly difficult areas, regardless of which form of retirement they are in.

Mr. T requested to be answered so that the locality can resolve the regime for workers to ensure compliance with the provisions of law.

Regarding this issue, the Ministry of Home Affairs answers as follows:

Based on the provisions of Clause 1, Article 8 of Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP dated October 8, 2019 of the Government, cadres, civil servants, public employees and employees who are working and have actually worked in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions for 10 years or more, when transferring to work outside areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions or retiring (or the workplace decided by competent authorities is no longer a region with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions) are entitled to a one-time allowance for the actual working time in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions.

The actual working time in areas with particularly difficult socio-economic conditions is used as a basis for calculating the enjoyment of allowances and subsidies implemented according to the provisions of Clauses 1 and 2, Article 13 of Decree No. 76/2019/ND-CP.

The organization of policy implementation for cadres, civil servants, and public employees in the province is under the authority of the Chairman of the Provincial People's Committee.

Therefore, the Ministry of Home Affairs requests Mr. C.V.T to contact the provincial agency managing cadres, civil servants, and public employees (Department of Home Affairs) for answers.

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