New social insurance policy, a support for female workers

Female workers contribute greatly to socio-economic development, however they also face more risks and disadvantages than men, especially in issues related to maternity, childcare and health.

Faced with that reality, the new points in the Law on Social Insurance (SI) 2024 have become a solid foundation, not only protecting rights but also creating conditions for women to work and develop with peace of mind.

The 2024 Social Insurance Law, effective from July 1, 2025, has changed many policies related to maternity benefits. Accordingly, not only mothers but also fathers are entitled to leave to take care of their wives and children after giving birth, encouraging the sharing of responsibilities in the family and reducing the burden on mothers.

The condition for maternity benefits for female employees giving birth is that they only need to pay compulsory social insurance for at least 6 months in the 24 consecutive months before giving birth. When a pregnant female employee or a surrogate female employee meets the payment period requirement, if the fetus is 22 weeks old or older and unfortunately dies, both the female employee and her husband are entitled to take leave to enjoy maternity benefits as in the case of giving birth. In cases where the payment period requirement is met as in the case of giving birth, the mother will receive the benefits as in the case of giving birth; if the mother does not meet the conditions, she is still entitled to take 50 days off if the fetus is 22 weeks old or older (previously 25 weeks old).

A notable new point is the addition of conditions for maternity benefits for female workers who give birth and have previously had to take time off work to undergo infertility treatment. This provision demonstrates understanding and support for the difficult process of having children for many families. In addition, the Law also amends maternity leave when the child unfortunately passes away; maternity leave is counted as the time of paying social insurance; health insurance support during maternity; one-time allowance when giving birth, adopting a child...

Social Insurance staff of Cu M'gar base propagate voluntary social insurance policy to freelance workers.

Notably, the Law also adds maternity benefits to the voluntary social insurance policy. This is considered one of the new steps to ensure the rights of participants. Female workers who are ethnic minorities or female workers who are Kinh people whose husbands are ethnic minorities and are in poor households, when giving birth, in addition to the maternity benefits as prescribed, are still entitled to other support policies from the Government .

The new policy also adjusts maternity leave to be more flexible, suitable for each specific case. In particular, pregnant female workers are allowed to take maternity leave to go for prenatal check-ups up to 5 times, each time no more than 2 days, not including holidays, Tet, and weekly days off. In case female workers give birth to twins or more, from the second child onwards, for each child, the mother is allowed to take an additional month off...

According to statistics of the provincial Social Insurance, in the first 9 months of 2025, the whole province had 29,433 people receiving sick leave, maternity leave, and health recovery benefits, an increase of 95% over the same period in 2024.

In addition to maternity benefits, policies on sickness and occupational accidents have also been amended to better protect female workers. Expanding the list of diseases covered by social insurance, or increasing the level of sickness benefits, has helped female workers have more resources to overcome health difficulties. Not only does it have economic significance, the new social insurance policy also has profound social significance, helping to improve the status of women, eliminate prejudices about gender differences in labor, and create a more equitable society.

Ms. Pham Thi Phien (worker at Trung Nguyen Coffee Joint Stock Company) shared: “I am a single mother and often get sick and have to be hospitalized. There was a time when my stomach disease relapsed and I had to take several months off work for treatment. During those times, I was entitled to sick leave, which helped reduce the burden of treatment and living expenses.”

In fact, during the working process, workers cannot avoid difficulties due to illness, disease or having to take time off work to give birth or take care of children. During that period, sick leave and maternity leave are a solid support to help them overcome the difficulties of life.

It can be said that the new social insurance policy is not only a legal regulation but also a commitment of society to gender equality; affirming that protecting and creating conditions for female workers to develop is the key to building a prosperous and sustainable society. For these policies to truly come into life, there needs to be more close coordination between management agencies, businesses and workers; propaganda and dissemination of knowledge about social insurance needs to be promoted so that all women clearly understand their rights and obligations.

Source: https://baodaklak.vn/chinh-sach-xa-hoi/chinh-sach-bhxh-bhyt/202510/chinh-sach-bao-hiem-xa-hoi-moi-diem-tua-cho-lao-dong-nu-6fb1d1a/