Short-time working allowance for earthquake zone

ANKARA

Employment measures for the provinces affected by the earthquake have been published in the Official Gazette and have come into force.

Accordingly, in the provinces where the state of emergency has been declared due to the earthquake, short-time work allowance will be granted upon the employer’s request. Dismissal is prohibited except for reasons such as the closure of the workplace and the moral status of the employee.

Those who do not qualify for the short-time working allowance or who are dismissed will receive a cash benefit of 133.44 Turkish Liras per day and 4,003 liras per month. After deducting the stamp duty, the amount to be paid will be 3,972 liras. The measures are valid during the state of emergency.

With the decree published within the framework of the state of emergency, the regulations applied to the working life during the pandemic period have been reactivated.

As a result, during the state of emergency, the eligibility of employers’ requests for short-time work due to the regional crisis caused by the earthquake will not be verified. The short-time work allowance will be granted according to the employer’s request. If the employer is found to have provided incorrect information or documents, the overpayments will be recovered from the employer with legal interest.

In provinces where a state of emergency has been declared, dismissals will be prohibited, with certain exceptions. Exceptions to this will be the closure of the workplace, the termination of its activity or the employee’s behavior that does not comply with the rules of morality and goodwill. Otherwise, employers who terminate employees’ employment contracts in violation of the decree will be subject to an administrative fine equal to the gross minimum wage.

Those who cannot qualify for short-time working allowance, whose workplaces are closed down and who cannot receive unemployment allowance will be able to benefit from cash wage support during the state of emergency. The gross amount will be 4,003 liras per month and the employee will receive 3,972 liras. General Health Insurance premiums will also be covered from the Unemployment Insurance Fund.