{"id":1122,"date":"2025-12-13T11:56:58","date_gmt":"2025-12-13T02:56:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/?p=1122"},"modified":"2025-12-13T11:56:59","modified_gmt":"2025-12-13T02:56:59","slug":"vietnam-overtime-wage-base","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/en\/pyroll-en\/vietnam-overtime-wage-base\/","title":{"rendered":"Basics of Overtime Pay Calculation in Vietnam: What Is Included and Excluded from Wages"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p>In calculating overtime pay in Vietnam, one of the most common mistakes made by HR and payroll practitioners is misunderstanding the <strong><span class=\"swl-inline-color has-swl-deep-01-color\">\u201cscope of wages included in the overtime calculation base.\u201d<\/span><\/strong><br>\nEven if a company believes it is paying overtime correctly, an incorrect calculation base may still be judged as <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>unpaid overtime<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Overtime Pay Is Calculated Based on \u201cNormal Wages\u201d<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Under Vietnamese labor law, overtime pay must be calculated based on <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>normal wages<\/strong><\/span>.<br>\nNormal wages are not limited to base salary alone, but refer to <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>all wages paid as consideration for work performed<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wages That Should Be Included in the Calculation Base (Principle)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>In principle, the following types of wages <strong>must be included in the overtime pay calculation base<\/strong>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Item<\/th><th>Reason<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Base salary<\/td><td>The core compensation for labor<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Position \/ responsibility allowance<\/td><td>Paid monthly on a fixed basis according to role or position<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Job-related \/ skill allowance<\/td><td>Directly related to job duties<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Allowances paid monthly at a fixed amount<\/td><td>Substantively regarded as part of wages<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>The key point is that judgment is based not on the allowance name, but on <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>the actual substance of the payment<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Wages That May Be Excluded from the Calculation Base (Conditional)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>On the other hand, the following items are generally considered <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>excludable from the overtime calculation base<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<figure class=\"wp-block-table\"><table class=\"has-fixed-layout\"><thead><tr><th>Item<\/th><th>Reason<\/th><\/tr><\/thead><tbody><tr><td>Meal allowance<\/td><td>Strong welfare-related nature<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Commuting allowance<\/td><td>Reimbursement of actual expenses<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Performance-based bonus<\/td><td>Not paid on a fixed monthly basis<\/td><\/tr><tr><td>Annual bonus (Tet bonus, etc.)<\/td><td>Paid irregularly<\/td><\/tr><\/tbody><\/table><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<p>However, if allowances such as meal allowances are <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>paid at a fixed amount every month<\/strong><\/span>, they may be required to be included in the calculation base depending on their substance.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Common Practical Mistakes<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group has-border -border02 is-style-bg_grid\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Calculating overtime pay based only on base salary<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Excluding items solely because they are labeled as \u201callowances\u201d<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Assuming that non-insurable wages are automatically excluded from overtime calculations<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>The calculation base for social insurance and overtime pay <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>does not necessarily coincide<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Practical Judgment Points (Quick Checklist)<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>The more \u201cyes\u201d answers you have to the following questions, the <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>more likely the item should be included in the overtime calculation base<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-big_icon_point\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Is it paid monthly at a fixed amount?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it paid regardless of attendance or absence?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it linked to job duties or position?<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Is it clearly stated as wages in the labor contract?<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Risks Caused by Calculation Errors<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>Incorrect overtime calculation bases can lead to the following risks.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"wp-block-group is-style-big_icon_caution\"><div class=\"wp-block-group__inner-container\">\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Corrective guidance and retroactive payments during labor inspections<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Claims for unpaid overtime upon employee resignation<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prolonged labor disputes<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<\/div><\/div>\n\n\n\n<p>Disputes arising at the time of resignation often involve <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>retroactive claims covering past periods<\/strong><\/span>, requiring special attention.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The overtime calculation base is closely related to overall payroll and allowance design.<br>\nIt is essential to correctly understand the system and ensure <span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>consistency across the entire wage structure<\/strong><\/span>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<h2 class=\"wp-block-heading\">Summary<\/h2>\n\n\n\n<p>\nIn Vietnam, the most important aspect of overtime pay calculation is not the premium rate itself, but\n<span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>\u201cwhat the premium rate is applied to.\u201d<\/strong><\/span>\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\nOvertime pay should not be calculated based solely on base salary.\nIt must be calculated based on <strong>normal wages<\/strong>, which include\n<span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>wages paid monthly on a fixed basis as compensation for work<\/strong><\/span>.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\nOn the other hand, welfare-related or irregular payments such as commuting allowances, meal allowances,\nand bonuses (Tet bonus, etc.) are generally excluded from the calculation base.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\nHowever, it is important not to judge based solely on the name of an allowance.\nTreatment may change depending on\n<span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>the actual payment substance (fixed nature and compensation-for-work character)<\/strong><\/span>.\nIncorrect judgment may result in a finding of\n<span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>unpaid overtime<\/strong><\/span>\neven if overtime pay has been made.\n<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>\nIn Vietnam, the overtime calculation base is also closely linked to the calculation of social insurance\ncontributions and personal income tax (PIT).<br>\nTaking a comprehensive view of the entire payroll system and ensuring\n<span class=\"swl-marker mark_orange\"><strong>a consistent and well-structured wage design and operation<\/strong><\/span>\nis essential to minimizing labor-related risks.\n<\/p>\n\n\n<div class=\"p-blogParts post_content\" data-partsID=\"983\">\n<div class=\"swell-block-fullWide pc-py-60 sp-py-40 has-bg-img alignfull lazyload\" style=\"background-color:rgba(247, 247, 247, 0.41)\" data-bg=\"http:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/DSC_1122.jpg\"><div class=\"swell-block-fullWide__inner l-article\">\n<div 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srcset=\"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cta1.png 600w, https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/cta1-300x200.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 600px) 100vw, 600px\" \/><\/figure>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"swell-block-button green_ is-style-btn_normal\"><a href=\"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/en\/contact\/\" class=\"swell-block-button__link\"><span>Contact<\/span><\/a><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div><\/div>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>In calculating overtime pay in Vietnam, one of the most common mistakes made by HR and payroll practitioners is misunderstanding the \u201cscope of wages included in the overtime calculation base.\u201d Even if a company believes it is paying overtime correctly, an incorrect calculation base may still be judged as unpaid overtime. Overtime Pay Is Calculated [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":1061,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_active":false,"_monsterinsights_sitenote_note":"","_monsterinsights_sitenote_category":0,"swell_btn_cv_data":"","_locale":"en_US","_original_post":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/?p=1072","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1122","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-pyroll-en","en-US"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/12\/column5.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1122","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=1122"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1122\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":1123,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/1122\/revisions\/1123"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1061"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=1122"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=1122"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/est.haro-inc.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=1122"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}