The Trade Union of the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority present train tickets for workers to return to their hometowns for 2024 Tết holiday. —VNA/VNS Photo

HCM CITY — The HCM City Department of Labor, Invalids and Social Affairs has announced the 2024 salary report and plans for Tết (Lunar New Year) bonuses for workers.

The report, compiled by the department from 1,570 enterprises with 310,444 employees in the city, showed that the average Tết bonus is VNĐ12.7 million (US$498) a person, an increase of 3 per cent compared to the previous year.

The highest bonus of VNĐ1.9 billion ($74,600) is offered by a foreign-invested enterprise.

The highest Tết bonuses are mainly at enterprises in electronics, information technology, food processing, software development and trade industries due to positive business results, said Lượng Thị Tới, deputy director of the department.

Small-scale manufacturing enterprises and enterprises employing manual workers offer lower bonus levels, Tới said.

Around 25 per cent of enterprises said it is difficult to find financial sources to pay Tết bonuses due to reduced orders, narrowed business operations, difficulty in collecting debts and heavy interest burden, she said.

However, most enterprises make efforts to maintain Tết bonuses in accordance with regulations to ensure the rights of employees.

Besides Tết bonuses, many businesses have implemented various programmes to support workers, including providing Tết gifts, lucky money and shopping vouchers, and organise buses to take disadvantaged workers to their hometowns for Tết holiday.

Some businesses plan to organise entertainment activities for workers who are unable to go home during the holiday, showing deep concern for the lives of workers, she said.

Lâm Ngọc Mẫn, Vice President of the Trade Union of the HCM City Export Processing and Industrial Zones Authority, said most enterprises in export processing and industrial zones offer Tết bonuses corresponding to one month of salary along with productivity and responsibility rewards.

They also provide train tickets to 1,600 families of workers to return to their hometowns for Tết holiday, Mẫn said. —VNS