Bắc Ninh Province authorities on Thursday delivered Tết (Lunar New Year) gifts to employees of a YesTech Vina whose owner fled the country last year. —Photo vneconomictimes.com

BẮC NINH — Bắc Ninh Province authorities on Thursday delivered Tết (Lunar New Year) gifts to employees of a South Korean-invested manufacturer whose owner fled the country last year.

Each gift worth VNĐ500,000 (US$21.5) would be given in person to the employees, while those who are absent would have the money sent via bank transfer, said Nguyễn Thị Vân Hà, chair of the northern province’s labour union.

YesTech Vina, a manufacturer of mobile phone parts, began operations in January 2013 at the province’s Quế Võ Industrial Zone.

The owner of the company has not shown up to official summons or work since August last year and is suspected to have fled the country.

The company employed 275 people, including 11 South Koreans.

The company has incurred about VNĐ100 billion (about US$4.3 million) in debt, including the August salary (which takes up VNĐ1.5 billion) as well as VNĐ4 billion in overdue payments for social security, health insurance, unemployment benefits, occupational safety and occupational hazard insurance since 2017 December through 2018 August.

Late tax fines cost the company VNĐ1.3 billion, bank debt is VNĐ39 billion and late payment for service providers stands at about VNĐ63.5 billion.

In addition, 10 female workers at the company have not received their maternity benefits since the company still owes social security payments.

Regarding the late payment of August salary for the employees, the provincial labour union said currently there is no legal document that outlines in detail how to deal with an employer fleeing.

To pay the overdue salary, legal procedures must be underway for the company to be declared bankrupt and its assets liquidated.

The resulting money would then be used to pay the legal fees, the overdue salary, the unemployment benefits and insurance.

Bắc Ninh labour union is working with concerned agencies to guide the employees on how to entrust higher-grade unions with due authorisation to proceed with bankruptcy procedures.

Three companies owing debts to YesTech Vina have transferred about VNĐ3.7 billion into the company’s union bank account, which will be used to pay the overdue fees and salary once bankruptcy procedures are completed.

Bắc Ninh industrial zones’ management board said in September last year, it found new jobs for all YesTech workers who wished to continue working there. — VNS