Those known as “Emeklilikte Yaşa Takılanlar” (EYT) have long demanded relief from the unfair effects of the retirement-age changes. Although no concrete government decision has been announced, there is widespread curiosity about who would qualify for retirement if an EYT law were enacted today.
Who Could Retire Under EYT?
The EYT issue arose after Law No. 4447 increased retirement ages. Introduced on 8 September 1999, that law added an age requirement to the existing contributions and service-length conditions for retirement. As a result, people who completed the required contribution days and service years found themselves forced to wait until they reached the new retirement age, creating significant hardship. The law set the retirement age at 60 for men and 58 for women.
The age requirement continues to affect many who started working early and therefore already met contribution and service-day thresholds. Critics of abandoning the EYT concept sometimes argue that early retirement should not be universally allowed, but many who only object to having to wait for an age threshold insist the rule is unfair and expect concrete legislative remedies.
Who Would Be Eligible If an EYT Law Is Passed?
If a law addressing EYT were enacted to resolve this injustice, it would typically apply to workers whose insurance registrations began before 8 September 1999. Under Law No. 4447, women must reach 58 and men 60 to retire; an EYT law would remove that age barrier for those with pre-1999 insurance entries.
Eligibility criteria by insurance-entry periods would likely be structured as follows:
- 9 September 1891 – 23 May 1984: Service: 20 years, Age: 40, Contributions: 5000
- 1984 – 1985: Service: 20 years, Age: 41, Contributions: 5000
- 1985 – 1986: Service: 20 years, Age: 42, Contributions: 5075
- 1986 – 1987: Service: 20 years, Age: 43, Contributions: 5150
- 1987 – 1988: Service: 20 years, Age: 44, Contributions: 5225
- 1988 – 1989: Service: 20 years, Age: 45, Contributions: 5300
- 1989 – 1990: Service: 20 years, Age: 46, Contributions: 5375
- 1995 – 1996: Service: 20 years, Age: 52, Contributions: 5825
- 1996 – 1997: Service: 20 years, Age: 53, Contributions: 5900
- 1997 – 1998: Service: 20 years, Age: 54, Contributions: 5975
- 1998 – May 1999: Service: 20 years, Age: 55, Contributions: 5975
- 1999 – 8 September 1999: Service: 20 years, Age: 56, Contributions: 5978
EYT Was Not Included in the 2020 Budget
To date, there has been no finalized legislative work specifically addressing EYT. A review of the 2020 budget details shows no allocation for EYT measures. Instead, the government is believed to be exploring alternatives. One notable option under consideration would treat missing years of age similarly to contribution restructuring: workers could make a payment to cover their shortfall and thereby qualify for retirement. Under such a scenario, those waiting for the age threshold would apply for a structured settlement similar to contribution-deficit arrangements. They would then pay an amount calculated to correspond to their missing age period and become eligible for retirement.