To increase the attractiveness of voluntary social insurance, the Social Insurance Law 2024 (effective from July 1, 2025) has added maternity benefits to the voluntary social insurance policy for all participants.

Husband pays voluntary social insurance, wife stays at home and receives maternity benefits

Accordingly, the new law stipulates that male workers who participate in voluntary social insurance, when their wives give birth, will also receive maternity benefits. With this regulation, if only the husband participates in voluntary social insurance and the wife does not participate in social insurance, the wife will also receive a maternity benefit of 2 million VND/child.

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Illustration: Minh Hoang.

Regarding the regulations on maternity leave for male employees, the current Social Insurance Law 2014 stipulates that it is calculated within the first 30 days from the date the wife gives birth.

However, from July 1, 2025, according to the provisions of the new Social Insurance Law, the days off to enjoy maternity benefits must be within 60 days from the date the wife gives birth. Accordingly, within 60 days from the date the wife gives birth, male employees participating in compulsory social insurance are entitled to take maternity benefits. Specifically, 5 working days off when the wife gives birth normally; 7 working days off when the wife gives birth by surgery or gives birth before 32 weeks; 10 working days off when the wife gives birth to twins.

In addition, male employees will be given an additional 3 days off, making 13 days off for each child from the third child onwards in the case of giving birth to triplets or more; 14 working days when the wife gives birth to twins by caesarean section. In the case of giving birth to triplets or more by caesarean section, they will be given an additional 3 days off for each child from the third child onwards.

Regarding the one-time allowance when the wife gives birth, if eligible, male workers are entitled to a one-time allowance equal to 2 times the basic salary in the month the wife gives birth for each child. The current basic salary is 2.34 million VND/month. When the new Law comes into effect, if the basic salary remains unchanged, the maternity allowance for male workers will be 4.68 million VND.

Increase time off for men to better care for young children

A representative of the Trade Union of a Textile enterprise said that currently, there are many young couples with difficult economic conditions, having to rent a house, and when giving birth, they cannot afford to hire a maid, so the husband's supportive role is very important.

The new Social Insurance Law's regulation of increasing the time off for men when their wives give birth (within 60 days after the wife gives birth) will create conditions for husbands to have more time to take care of their wives and children in the early stages of childbirth, which is in line with the goal of building a happy family.

"When a wife has just given birth, she really needs the support and sharing of her husband, so during the 60-day period, the husband's extra days off will be a great encouragement for his wife and children," he said.

A leader of Hanoi Social Insurance assessed that men need to take care of their wives and children after giving birth, which requires a long process. Therefore, the new Social Insurance Law increasing the number of days men are allowed to take off is appropriate, this ensures that children receive the best care and development conditions when they are born.