Hanoi (VNA) - At the end of ♌the year, workers often look forward to Tet (Lunar New Year) bonuses to see whether t♉he sum would partly help them enjoy a good Tet celebration or not.

Labourers looking forward to Tet bonuses

According to the Ministry of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs, an average bonus of Tet 2019 was equal to a month’s salary (6.3 million VND per person), a rise of 11.4 percent from 2018 (5.5 million VND per person). Joint stock companies with the State being a major stakeholder gave the highest average bonus of 6.825 million VND to an employee, a rise of 9.8 percent from 2018 (6.2 million VND per person). Private enterprises awarded an average of 6.445 million VND per person. This amount marked a noticeable increase of 26.6 percent compared to last year. It showed Vietnamese enterprises’ operation and business have become more stable and thriving. According to the latest report on welfare and Tet bonuses in 2019 in Vietnam provided by the Navigos Group, bonus is one of the leading elements influencing job applicants’ decision. A survey conducted on 500 human resources experts and job seekers shows labourers are very interested in Tet bonus, and up to 53 percent of job seekers are always searching information about Tet bonuses when looking for jobs. In particular, up to 82 percent of employees will make specific responses when receiving Tet bonus as they expect. One fourth of the employees will quit after Tet if their Tet bonus is not up to expectations. Up to 27 percent of the workers surveyed said they will quit and find jobs with higher Tet bonus. Around 55 percent will choose to stand side by side with other workers to demand their company to give Tet bonus. Billions of VND and 50,000 VND for Tet bonus The highest bonus for Tet 2019 is 1.17 billion VND for a person working for a finance-banking-insurance company in Ho Chi Minh City. Meanwhile, the lowest sum is 50,000 VND. That gap impressed many labourers and let them down too. Deputy Minister of Labour, Invalids and Social Affairs Doan Mau Diep said Tet bonus is very different among enterprises and sometimes opposite, with a thousand-time gap. “Enterprises often base on the outcomes of their production and business, labourers’ work performance, and agreements reached by concerned parties in labour contracts, collective labour deals, or regulations in their operating rules to decide Tet bonus. That’s why the levels of bonus will depend on a lot of elements,” Diep said. On the other hands, Vietnam’s laws have no regulations requiring enterprises to give Tet bonus to labourers. Labour laws only prescribe that salary and bonus are agreed by employees and employers. According to Deputy Minister Diep, apart from offering cash bonus, many enterprises present their products, shares, tours or offer promotions to their employees. These forms of bonus are not against legal regulations but are part of labour contracts, collective labour agreements, and regulations of the employers’ rules. Diep added that though efforts have been made, around 20 percent of enterprises nationwide have yet awarded Tet bonus for labourers due to business and production difficulties they faced. “If salary and bonus are inappropriate, labourers and trade unions should review their agreements signed with employers. In case the employers comply with the agreements, employees would meet and renegotiate with the employers so they would have a better and proper salary and bonus,” Diep stressed. Tran Thanh Hai, Vice President of the Vietnam General Labour Confederation said enterprises coping with difficulties should work to give Tet bonus to their employees even the bonus is low. They should talk to their employees about their efforts as well as expectations for a better future with the employees. It can be said that Tet bonus partly reflects the whole economic picture of Vietnam. In the context that the economy is predicted to get better in 2019, workers continue looking forward to a new year with stable job, and higher salary and bonus.-VNA