Joint Circular No. 21/2002/TTLT/BNV-BTC-BTP guides the allowance system for volunteers providing free legal aid to the poor and policy beneficiaries.

JOINT CIRCULAR

JOINT CIRCULAR NO. 21/2002/TTLT-BNV-BTC-BTP OF THE MINISTRIES OF HOME AFFAIRS, FINANCE AND JUSTICE DATED DECEMBER 26, 2002 ON GUIDELINES FOR SUBSIDIES FOR VOLUNTEER COLLABORATORS IN PROVIDING LEGAL ASSISTANCE TO POOR PEOPLE AND POLICY BENEFICIARIES

Pursuant to Decision No. 734/TTg dated September 6, 1997 of the Prime Minister on the establishment of organizations providing legal assistance to poor people and policy beneficiaries, and Directive No. 05/2000/CT-TTg dated March 1, 2000 of the Prime Minister on strengthening legal assistance work, the Joint Ministries of Home Affairs, Finance, and Justice issue guidelines for subsidies for volunteer collaborators in providing legal assistance to poor people and policy beneficiaries (hereinafter referred to collectively as "volunteer collaborators") as follows:

This technical regulation sets out technical requirements, testing methods, sampling procedures; management requirements; responsibilities of organizations and individuals producing, trading, and importing cigarettes.

Legal assistance activities for poor people and policy beneficiaries are free public service activities with professional and vocational characteristics aimed at serving the political and social tasks of the State, carried out by State legal assistance organizations with the voluntary participation of a team of volunteer collaborators who are experts, lawyers, and attorneys.

Volunteer collaborators shall be entitled to the subsidy regime stipulated in this Circular to compensate for part of their efforts, which has a motivational nature and enhances responsibility for the assigned work; at the same time, it encourages volunteer collaborators to voluntarily perform legal assistance activities without receiving subsidies.

II. SUBSIDY REGIME

Volunteer collaborators shall be entitled to different levels of subsidies for various types of work as follows:

1. Volunteer collaborators performing legal counseling shall be entitled to:

1.1. Subsidy rate per hour of oral legal counseling:

- A rate of 8,000 VND/hour for simple inquiries and guidance;

- A rate of 13,000 VND/hour for complex inquiries and guidance.

1.2. Subsidy rate per document for written legal counseling:

- A rate of 13,000 VND/document for simple inquiries and guidance;

- A rate of 20,000 VND/document for complex inquiries and guidance.

2. Volunteer collaborators participating in litigation proceedings as defense counsel or representatives protecting the legitimate rights and interests of legal assistance beneficiaries shall be entitled to a subsidy of 70,000 VND/day of work. In cases where work is performed for half a day (either morning or afternoon), they shall be entitled to half the subsidy rate for a full day of work.

The working days for payment of subsidies for volunteer collaborators participating in litigation include days spent researching case files at the court and days of trial. The basis for payment of subsidies is a written confirmation of working days issued by the competent authority of the court.

3. In addition to the aforementioned subsidy regime, when performing mobile legal assistance, volunteer collaborators shall be reimbursed travel expenses as if they were civil servants on official business.

III. IMPLEMENTATION

1. Annually, the Legal Aid Agency and State Legal Aid Centers shall prepare budgets for operational expenses including subsidies and travel expenses for volunteer collaborators for approval by the competent authority according to regulations.

2. The use of funds for subsidies for volunteer collaborators shall be settled according to the actual financial expenditure regime annually.

3. The source of funds for implementing the subsidy regime for volunteer collaborators shall be allocated within the annual budget of the units.

For the year 2002, the units shall allocate funds for subsidies and travel expenses for volunteer collaborators within the approved budget range.

This Circular shall take effect fifteen days from the date of issuance and shall replace Circular No. 187/1998/TTLT-TCCP-TC-TP dated March 30, 1998 of the Joint Office of the Government's Organizational and Cadre Department, Ministry of Finance, and Ministry of Justice on guidelines for subsidies for volunteer collaborators in providing legal assistance.

Any difficulties or issues encountered during implementation should be reported to the Joint Ministries for consideration and resolution.