Short-Term Working Allowance

Short-term working allowance is an income support provided by Turkish Employment Institution for the insured people working in workplaces whose activities are wholly or partially ceased for at least four weeks, or where the weekly working time is reduced temporarily by at least 1/3 as a result of a general economical, sectoral, regional crisis or compelling reasons arising from exterior effects. The Turkish Employment Institution provides short-term working allowance up to three months (extensible upon the President’s decision) for the insured people covering the period they could not work. Epidemics are considered to be “compelling reasons arising from exterior effects”, therefore short-term working allowance can be provided because of COVID-19.

The employers willing to benefit from the short-term working allowance can file applications within the scope of Coronavirus pandemic via e-mail as of March 23, 2020 along with the documents prooving that they are badly affected by Coronavirus.

In order for the employee to benefit from the short-term working allowance;

  • Workplace activities must be explicitly affected from COVID-19,
  • The employee should be entitled to unemployment compensation on the start date of the short-term working in terms of working periods and number of premium paying days (the one’s who paid unemployment insurance premiums for at least 450 days in the three years prior to the start of the short-term working; and worked under an employment agreement for the last 60 days prior to the start of the short-term working).

The daily amount of the short-term working allowance is 60% of the daily avarage gross income of the employee calculated pursuant to the employee’s the avarage daily earning taken as basic to premium in last 12 months. The monthly amount of the short-term working allowance cannot exceed 150% of the monthly minimum gross salary (the current monthly minimum gross salary is TRY 2,943).

In case of the employer decides the workplace to start its normal activies during the shor-term working practice, the employer must notify the Institution and the labour union party to the collective labour agreement (if any) and the employees in written six days before starting its normal activities. The short-term working will end on the date indicated in the notification.

Contact person
Gürkan Erdebil
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