Additional leave compliance rules and complexities

Annual leave

All employees in Vietnam get at least 12 days’ paid annual leave each year. Their annual leave allowance increases by 1 day for every 5 years they spend in a role. Though the law specifies that employees must pay employees for any unused leave remaining at the end of a year, in practice most employers seem to allow employees to carry over leave into the next year instead. Vietnamese employees must join the country’s Social Insurance Authority, after which they can take up to 30 days of sick leave a year, or 60 days for more serious conditions. Finally, employees can take 3 days’ leave for marriage or 1 day of leave for their children’s marriage.

Sick leave

Sick pay is set to 75% of the salary the employee received in the month preceding their sick leave.

Maternity and paternity leave

The Social Insurance Authority is also responsible for paying 100% of an employee’s salary as maternity leave. Mothers can take up to 6 months of maternity leave, and they can also take up to 10 days’ leave for prenatal check-ups. Paternity leave can be up to 14 days at full pay, and once more this is handled by the Social Insurance Authority. Parents can also receive 75% of their salary for up to 20 days a year of parental leave.