Getting fired or laid-off is usually a traumatizing experience for just about any person. The average person may start to think about a million different things from A to Z that may make him/her feel depressed, hopeless, isolated, vulnerable, and not to mention many other things. However, many countries have different unemployment benefit systems in place to assist people in the transition to another job. In Turkey, the unemployed have an active safety net in place.
In Turkey, there is an active safety net for the recent unemployed with many benefits:
- Severance pay— this depends on how many years you worked for a specific employer on a constant basis. Minimum one year and no maximum. The payout depends on your salary too. For Example, say you worked for 3 years with a salary of 5000TL, your one time payment today would be around 18,000TL. If your employer doesn’t pay, then you can take legal action.
- Monthly cash payments— (2100TL max) The number of months depends on how many years you worked and your salary. 600 working days are law to qualify.
- State Health Insurance (no cost) The time limit is the same as the monthly cash payments.
- State job database
- Job training with a stipend
Of Course there are many other conditions:
- Abide by some employment rules, ethics and company norms
- Registered in the system and not be working illegally “under the table.”
- Contribute to the Unemployment Insurance Fund (employee and employer)
- Paying your taxes
- Actively looking for other employment is a requirement by ISKUR, unemployment agency.
- Must apply for benefits within 30 days of termination (ISKUR).
To Sum up, Turkish labor laws, SGK (Social security) the Unemployment Insurance Fund are in place to support a person who was terminated from their job. Also, the system applies to foreigners as well.
Unfortunately, many workers are not registered in the system so they don’t benefit from the system and face undue hardship. This is a common problem in Turkey this should be a concern of the government since they lose tax revenue and at the same time hurting its people who reside in the country. I know the government has made great strides in this field. However, it needs to hold the employers accountable for hiring unregistered workers.
One last note: there is speculation that the current severance pay system will be up for debate to be more business and state friendly. This will obviously reduce the worker’s rights and safety net. How will this affect the future of employment?
*conditions apply
