Continue to propose increasing annual leave for workers

At the recent conference on information about the situation of workers, trade unions and the draft Law on Trade Unions (amended), Mr. Ngo Duy Hieu, Vice President of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor, said that recently, union members and workers proposed adding 2 days off for the National Day holiday on September 2, to extend the holiday until September 5.

This proposal is based on a comparison of the average number of holidays and Tet holidays in other countries and countries in the region. The average number of holidays and Tet holidays in Southeast Asian countries is about 16-17 days, while our country only has 11 days. Therefore, there is still room for holidays.

Regarding the reason for the proposal to increase the National Day holiday on September 2, Mr. Hieu said that during the Lunar New Year, workers already had a long holiday. Therefore, the General Confederation of Labor wants to increase the number of National Day holidays on September 2 so that the annual holiday time will be one quarter, or more than one quarter.

Illustration: Nam Khanh

The extra day off gives workers the opportunity to visit their families and take their children out before the new school year begins.

This is not the first time that a representative of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor has proposed adding more holidays and Tet holidays to the year for workers.

Previously, at the 13th Congress of the Vietnam General Confederation of Labor held in December 2023, union members proposed to study increasing annual holidays and Tet holidays at an appropriate time, because the number of holidays in Vietnam is currently 5-6 days lower than the average of Southeast Asian countries and the world .

Recently, the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs is asking for opinions from 16 agencies, ministries and branches on 2 options for the National Day holiday in 2025. Option 1, take 2 days off for the National Day holiday according to regulations, including September 2 and 1 day immediately before September 2.

Civil servants, public employees, and employees of administrative agencies, public service agencies, political organizations, and socio-political organizations will have the 2025 National Day holiday from Saturday, August 30, 2025 to Tuesday, September 2, 2025.

With this plan, on the occasion of National Day 2025, civil servants and public employees can have 4 days off including 2 weekly days off.

Option 2: 2 days off for National Day as prescribed, including September 2 and 1 adjacent day. Civil servants and public employees will have 2 days off for National Day in 2025 from Tuesday, September 2 to Wednesday, September 3, 2025. With this option, civil servants and public employees will have 2 days off for National Day in 2025.

Last August, voters in the provinces of Bac Kan, Hai Duong, Quang Nam, Khanh Hoa and Binh Thuan also petitioned the Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs to propose adding more holidays to the year.

Regarding this issue, Minister of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs Dao Ngoc Dung said that the time off for holidays and Tet for workers is researched and proposed based on many factors such as religion, customs, habits, the meaning of the holiday and socio-economic impact.

Adding more holidays and Tet holidays with full pay, in addition to encouraging employees, will also create pressure on employers because these are paid days off for employees.
The Ministry of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs will coordinate with relevant ministries, branches, agencies and organizations to assess socio-economic impacts and research and advise in the process of amending and supplementing the Labor Code.

Source: https://vietnamnet.vn/tiep-tuc-de-xuat-tang-ngay-nghi-le-tet-trong-nam-cho-nguoi-lao-dong-2330121.html