Some Some issues on the employee’s right to unilaterally terminate the employment contract under the 2019 Labor Code

Abstract

Article 35 of the Vietnamese Constitution 2013 stipulates that "Citizens have the right to work, choose a career and workplace." This is one of the basic rights of citizens and is concretized by an array of different regulations to regulate the labor relations between employees and employers. Of the regulations, provisions on the employee's right to unilaterally terminate the employment contract are emphasized. Within the scope of this article, the author points out a number of issues which are associated with the employee's rights to unilaterally terminate the employment contract stipulated in the Labor Code 2019, specifically the provisions in Section 3, Chapter III. In order to clarify and deepen the issues, the author uses the comparison method between the provisions of the Labor Code 2019 and the provision of the Labor Code 2012, reviewing and analyzing the issues of grounds and procedures for exercising the right to unilaterally terminate the employment contract of the employee; rights and obligations of employees when unilaterally terminating the employment contract legally; rights and obligations of employees when unilaterally terminating the employment contract illegally. In particular, the issues of grounds for the termination of the employment contract, a notice period before the unilateral termination of the employment contract, severance allowances and unemployment benefits are analyzed thoroughly to highlight the positive points as well as the gaps that currently exist and affect employees and employers. Finally, the author gives a number of recommendations to improve the legal regulations, creating balance and stability in labor relations as well as sustainable development for the economy and society.