Employers with 10 or more workers must register their internal labor rules — merely issuing them internally is not enough. Many companies are penalized for issuing rules but forgetting to register, or registering past the 10-day deadline. This guide details the dossier, filing venue, and timelines under the Labor Code 2019 and Decree 145/2020/ND-CP (updated for the post-merger receiving authority: the Department of Home Affairs).
Who Must Register Internal Labor Rules?
Under Clause 1, Article 119 of the Labor Code 2019, employers using 10 or more workers must register their internal labor rules with the labor specialized agency under the provincial People’s Committee where the employer registers its business.
Following the administrative restructuring from 01/7/2025 (Decree 129/2025/ND-CP), the “labor specialized agency” is now the home-affairs specialized agency under the provincial People’s Committee — i.e., the Department of Home Affairs (per the National Public Service Portal, procedure code 2.001955). Employers with fewer than 10 workers are not required to issue written rules but must agree on labor discipline and material liability in the labor contract (Clause 1, Article 69, Decree 145/2020/ND-CP).
What Does the Dossier Include? (Article 120, Labor Code)
Employers prepare 01 dossier set comprising:
1. A written request for registration of internal labor rules (no statutory template);
2. The issued internal labor rules;
3. Written comments of the grassroots workers’ representative organization (where such an organization exists);
4. The employer’s other documents on labor discipline and material liability (if any).
Important: before issuance, the employer must consult the grassroots workers’ representative organization where one exists (Clause 1, Article 41, Decree 145/2020/ND-CP). After issuance, the rules must be sent to each workers’ representative organization, communicated to all workers, and posted at necessary workplace locations.
Filing Deadline and Processing Time
Filing deadline: within 10 days from the issuance date of the labor rules, the employer must file the registration dossier (Clause 2, Article 119). There is no fixed annual deadline — it runs from each company’s issuance date.
Filing methods: in person, online via the Public Service Portal, or by post. Fees: VND 0.
Processing time: within 07 working days of receipt, if any content violates the law, the receiving agency will notify and guide amendments, supplementation, and re-registration (Clause 3, Article 119).
Multi-location employers (Clause 4, Article 119): send the registered labor rules to the labor (home-affairs) specialized agency of the province where each branch, unit, or production/business establishment is located.
Mandatory Contents of Labor Rules
Under Clause 2, Article 69 of Decree 145/2020/ND-CP, labor rules primarily cover: working and rest hours; workplace order; occupational safety and hygiene; prevention of sexual harassment at the workplace and handling procedures; protection of assets, trade secrets, technology secrets, and intellectual property; cases of temporary reassignment; disciplinary violations and corresponding sanctions; material liability.
FAQs
Is failure to register punishable?
Yes. Failing to register mandatory labor rules is an administrative violation in the labor sector (punishable under Decree 283/2026/ND-CP).
What if the agency requests amendments?
Within 07 working days, the agency notifies the unlawful content; the company amends, supplements, and re-registers as guided.
Must amended rules be re-registered?
Yes — when amending or supplementing registered labor rules, the company repeats the registration procedure for the amended content within 10 days of issuance of the amended rules.
Legal Basis
Labor Code 45/2019/QH14 (consolidated VBHN 18/VBHN-VPQH 2026) — Articles 118, 119, 120; Decree 145/2020/ND-CP — Articles 41, 69; Decree 129/2025/ND-CP (authority delineation). Verified as of 15/10/2026.
Related: Internal Labor Regulations for Companies in Vietnam; Checklist for Building Compliant Internal Labor Rules; Collective Bargaining Agreements vs Internal Labor Rules
Need help drafting and registering compliant labor rules? Contact FLAT Law Firm.
This article is for general reference only and does not replace legal advice for specific cases. Content drafted by AI and awaiting review by the QA Council (FLAW AI Legal Council); it has not been reviewed by a licensed human lawyer.
