One of the most frequently asked questions by citizens receiving unemployment benefits from İŞKUR is: under what circumstances will my unemployment benefit be cut? Just as there are specific eligibility requirements to receive unemployment benefits, there are also defined situations in which payments are suspended or terminated.
Eligibility Requirements for Unemployment Benefits
As of 2020, the basic conditions for receiving unemployment benefits include sufficient contributions (premium days) and having lost employment in a way that qualifies for benefit entitlement. Generally, the main criteria are: involuntary termination by the employer, at least 600 days of contributions within the last three years, no interruption in the employment contract for the last 120 days prior to separation, and submission of an application to İŞKUR within 30 days after leaving the job. When these conditions are met, a claimant may be eligible for unemployment payments.
Situations that may give rise to benefit entitlement include termination by the employer with proper notice periods observed, resignations forced by the employer’s conduct that violates principles of good faith and discipline, cases where the employee leaves or is dismissed because they cannot continue due to health reasons while the employer insists on continued work, expiry of a fixed-term contract, and loss of employment due to a change of ownership at the workplace. If these conditions are satisfied, eligibility is assessed by also considering contribution days and work history.
Situations That Lead to Suspension of Unemployment Benefits
The circumstances under which unemployment benefits are suspended are defined by law and regulation. If an unemployed person refuses job offers from İŞKUR without a valid reason—offers that are suitable for the person’s job description, offer comparable pay, and are located in the claimant’s residential area—benefit payments may be cut. Unemployment benefits are intended to provide financial support while the recipient searches for new work, so refusing reasonable job offers undermines that purpose.
In addition, if labor inspectors or public institution auditors discover that a benefit recipient is working without social insurance while receiving unemployment payments, the payments will be terminated. It is not permitted to be employed in a position that carries social insurance coverage or to work uninsured while drawing unemployment benefits. When such violations are found, benefits are stopped and, depending on the situation, the person may be prevented from receiving benefits for that period.
When Unemployment Benefits Can Be Reinstated
In some cases, it is possible to have unemployment benefits reinstated after they were suspended. For example, if a recipient’s payments were cut because they refused İŞKUR-recommended vocational training or development courses, or because they registered for training but were absent without justification, payments are suspended. Recipients who repeatedly ignore İŞKUR calls without valid reason will also face termination of payments.
However, if the reasons for suspension cease—for instance, the person accepts the recommended training and attends regularly—payments can resume from the point they were stopped. Payments resumed in this way cannot extend beyond the originally determined total entitlement period. In other words, after reinstatement, payments continue only for the remaining duration of the initial entitlement. For example, if a person is entitled to eight months of benefits and received three months before a suspension, once the conditions are satisfied and benefits are reinstated, they would receive the remaining five months.