Working mothers are entitled to several rights related to pregnancy and childbirth. Women employed with social insurance can benefit from these state-provided measures during pregnancy and after delivery. The main postnatal rights include:
- Maternity payment
- Breastfeeding allowance
- Maternity leave
- Childbirth contribution (borçlanma)
Rights Granted to Working Mothers
According to Social Security Institution regulations, female employees have specific rights. Employers must grant paid leave for routine prenatal check-ups during pregnancy. The exact day or time for these check-ups is determined by the employee, not the employer.
In other words, the employer cannot choose the day for a periodic control or shift it to the employee’s weekly rest day. In addition, working mothers with children under one year old are entitled to 1.5 hours of daily breastfeeding leave, which the employer must allow.
The employee decides when during working hours to use this breastfeeding leave. Employers cannot require that this time be combined with meal or rest breaks; if employers deduct breastfeeding leave from those breaks, employees may file complaints. For civil servant mothers, this breastfeeding period is 3 hours per day for the first three months.
Right to Work Half Days
Another right for working mothers is the option to work part-time. After maternity leave and until their children reach school age, mothers can request to work half days. The law provides part-time work following the end of statutory maternity leave: 60 days for the first child, 120 days for the second child, and 180 days for the third or subsequent children. Wages for the non-working portion are covered by the state. If the child is born with a disability, this period can extend up to 360 days.
When a mother opts to work half days, employers may deduct part of her wages, but the state compensates that deduction so the mother effectively receives a full-time equivalent wage. Employers may not dismiss a mother simply for choosing to work half days; termination would require payment of severance and notice indemnity where applicable. To use the half-day work right, the mother must apply to the Turkish Employment Agency (İŞKUR) within 30 days after her maternity leave ends. Another important requirement is that the mother must have at least 600 days of insured service reported in total during the last three years to be eligible.
Unpaid Leave for Mothers
Civil servant mothers may take up to 24 months of unpaid leave after their 16-week maternity leave and a subsequent six-month period of half-day work. Mothers employed under 4A status can take up to six months of unpaid leave after the 16-week maternity leave ends. During these unpaid leave periods, the employer cannot dismiss the employee; after the leave ends, the mother must return to her previous position. However, if the employer and employee agree and the employer accepts paying the notice compensation, termination is possible.
In addition to these options, the state provides a one-time breastfeeding allowance. This benefit is available not only to employed mothers but also to non-working mothers; to receive it, an application must be submitted to the Social Security Institution.
Maternity Payment
The Ministry of Family and Social Services provides a maternity payment. The amount varies depending on the child’s birth order. For example, in the referenced period the amounts were 300 TL for the first child, 400 TL for the second, and 600 TL for the third and subsequent children. These amounts may change over time; the figures given applied to 2020. The maternity payment is a one-time grant.
There is no requirement that the mother be employed to receive this payment, but she must be a citizen of the Republic of Turkey. The baby must be alive for the payment to be made; the state does not provide this support in the case of a stillbirth. Applications are made at Social Service Centers or Provincial Directorates of Family and Social Policies. After submitting the completed application form, the payment is disbursed to the mother’s national ID via PTT.
Breastfeeding Allowance
Commonly known as “süt parası” (milk money), the breastfeeding allowance is a state support provided to insured working mothers. Unlike the maternity payment, this allowance requires that the mother be employed and covered by insurance. All insured female workers are eligible within the scope of their insurance. The benefit is paid once per birth.
Childbirth Contribution (Doğum Borçlanması)
Insured working women can buy service days for the periods spent in pregnancy and childcare. With the childbirth contribution, days during the pregnancy can be counted toward service time. There is an important condition: this facility is available for up to three children born after the start of the mother’s insurance. The number of days that can be credited for childbirth contribution is subject to limits defined by regulations.
Maternity Leave
Insured female employees are entitled to a total of 16 weeks of maternity leave under Article 74 of the Labour Law (Law No. 4857). This entitlement is typically split as 8 weeks before birth and 8 weeks after birth. In the case of multiple pregnancies (twins, triplets, etc.), an additional two weeks are added, bringing the total to 18 weeks. As this right is granted by law, the employer has no grounds to object. There is no minimum service period required to qualify for maternity leave. Maternity leave is one of the key postnatal rights afforded to insured female workers.