Social security for flexible workers

The gaps

Flexible work is becoming an inseparable part of the modern labor market. From basic workers, freelance workers according to projects, delivery, technology car driving to part-time and seasonal forms... This trend reflects the rapid adaptation of both businesses and workers to economic fluctuations. In that context, the problem is not limiting or banning flexible employment, but how to build a suitable social security policy corridor, protecting workers from increasingly existing risks.

Mr. Nguyen Huu Minh (Vinh Thanh commune, Hanoi) used to work as an employee at the grassroots veterinary network. In 2023, Mr. Minh quit his job because his income was too low.

"With a subsidy of more than 3 million VND/month, I have to take advantage of getting vaccinated against buffaloes, chickens, pigs... for the livestock of the people and the farms in the area to have enough to survive. If anyone calls me to do anything, I need to go, said Mr. Minh.

In August 2023, Mr. Minh passed the car driving exam and decided to become a technology driver. With an income double the old job, and more active time, Mr. Minh is much easy to breathe in worrying about his two children studying and his wife being a farmer.

In April 2025, Mr. Minh's health declined. After going to the doctor, he was diagnosed with tuberculosis. The doctor advised him to stay healthy and have regular check-ups. Since then, Mr. Minh has not been a technology driver. Without insurance, Mr. Minh paid for treatment for a while and registered to participate in voluntary social insurance (SI).

Unlike workers with formal contracts, most flexible workers are not fully covered by social security policies. I do not have a labor contract, social insurance, unemployment insurance, or health insurance, so I completely take care of myself when I encounter risks, Mr. Minh said sadly.

Mr. Bui Sy Loi - former Deputy Chairman of the National Assembly's Committee on Social Affairs (now the Social Committee) - commented that work accidents, illnesses, and decreased income due to market fluctuations or policy changes of platform enterprises can all push flexible workers into difficulties after a short time.

more worryingly, not participating in social insurance for a long time will cause them to lose the opportunity to receive pensions and social security regimes when they are old, creating great pressure on the social security system in the future, said Mr. Loi.

inevitable trend of the labor market

Mr. Ha Anh Tuan - CEO of Vinalink Media JSC - said that flexible working is a direct result of digital transformation, the development of the platform economy and the need to optimize costs of businesses. For workers, this form of job access opportunities is quick, flexible in time, suitable for many groups of subjects such as young workers, temporary workers, students or workers who need additional income.

In the context of the official job market not being truly sustainable, income growth is slow while living expenses are escalating, flexible employment has become a "lifeline" to help many people maintain their lives in the immediate future. However, behind that convenience are large gaps in social security.

According to Mr. Bui Sy Loi, the Labor Law and social security policies do not fully cover basic labor. Although voluntary social insurance is available, the contribution - benefit level is not attractive enough, not suitable for the unstable income of flexible workers. The lack of an occupational accident insurance mechanism specifically for this group of workers also causes the risk to fall entirely on the shoulders of workers.

Therefore, if flexible employment continues to expand without appropriate adjustment policies, the risk of increasing informal labor is very clear. It is time to change the approach to flexible labor. Instead of considering this an "amateur" area of the labor market, it is necessary to officially recognize and manage it with appropriate policies, ensuring basic rights for workers, while creating a fair competitive environment for businesses.

Mr. Bui Sy Loi proposed that to ensure social security for flexible workers, it is necessary to focus on a number of key policy directions: Expanding social security coverage in a more flexible direction, suitable for the characteristics of unstable income of flexible workers; research on occupational accident insurance suitable for high-risk groups of workers such as delivery, technology car driving...; consider the responsibility of sharing social security of platform enterprises.

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