Under normal regulations, insured workers covered by SSK who work fewer than 30 days per month were required to top up their General Health Insurance (GSS) contributions to a 30‑day basis. Recent legal amendments removed this obligation for some part‑time employees, and further changes were made in 2020 that altered the 30‑day top‑up requirements.
Changes to General Health Insurance Contributions
Previously, employees with 4/A status who worked fewer than 30 days a month had to pay GSS contributions as if they had worked 30 days. Because this rule created hardship for some workers, the first adjustments were introduced in 2016, exempting certain groups working fewer than 30 days from the top‑up requirement. Additional rules set exemptions for those working 20 days or less. In 2020 the regulations were revised again, changing who must complete GSS contribution days.
The following categories are now exempt from completing their general health insurance contributions to 30 days:
- 4/A insured persons who work fewer than 30 days per month and who are already covered as dependents—spouse, children, mother or father—under someone else’s insurance do not need to top up their monthly GSS contributions to 30 days.
- For those without such dependent coverage, part‑time workers defined under Articles 13 or 14 of Law No. 4857 (including those employed on call or with reduced hours) who work 8 days or fewer in a month are exempt from the 30‑day top‑up requirement.
- Workers paid for specific hours worked on particular days (reported as partial days) who work 8 days or fewer in a month must generally complete their GSS contributions to 30 days. However, if the number of reported monthly working days to SGK exceeds 8 days, these workers are not required to top up their contributions to 30 days.
- Employees who already work 30 days a month have their health insurance contributions paid through regular payroll, so they are not required to make any additional 30‑day top‑up payments.
Attention: Domestic Workers
The amendments also affected general health insurance rules for domestic workers. Those who work 10 days or more per month and whose employers report their monthly working days to SGK as 10 days or more are considered to work more than 8 days and therefore are not required to complete GSS contributions to 30 days. However, domestic workers who work fewer than 10 days often have only work accident and occupational disease insurance applied by their employers; as a result, they cannot be registered under long‑term insurance codes in the social security system and may be required to pay their own GSS contributions.
The key point for domestic work is that working time is calculated by hours. If short daily hours add up to a small total number of reported days, workers should ask employers to report more consistent daily hours instead of accepting fragmented schedules that reduce their recorded days. Otherwise, they may end up responsible for paying their GSS contributions themselves.
How Much Is the General Health Insurance Contribution?
For those who work fewer than 8 days per month and must pay for missing days, the missing GSS contributions are calculated at 3% of the gross daily minimum wage. As of the end of 2020 the monthly health insurance amount to be paid on a 30‑day basis was set at 88 TL. Low‑income individuals may be subject to an income test and, if eligible, can be exempted from this contribution payment.