The regulation for those affected by retirement age adjustments (commonly called EYT) became law after passing the parliament and being published in the Official Gazette. With this change, many questions emerged about how EYT will be implemented and what procedures beneficiaries and institutions should follow. Below are clear answers to commonly asked questions and practical guidance for employees and employers.
Who will update the SGK HİTAP records and how long should the update take?
The SGK HİTAP system calculates age and eligibility based on the data entered by institutions. It can be useful to consult SGK for details about record updates. However, if existing institutional records already show that a person falls within the EYT scope — for example, their employment, self-employment, or civil service began before 8 September 1999 — institutions can proceed with retirement without waiting for a separate system update.
Can an institution delay updating HİTAP records intentionally or unintentionally? What rights do employees have if this happens?
Even if ages are not immediately updated in HİTAP, employees who worked before 8 September 1999 (whether as workers, tradespeople, or civil servants) are considered within EYT scope. SGK is expected to take these conditions into account when processing retirement. Employees should not be denied their rights simply because a system update is delayed.
Can an institution postpone an employee’s retirement application? If so, what should the employee do?
Retirement applications are a personal right. Institutions are obliged to act in accordance with Article 48 of Law No. 5510. This provision allows an employee to leave their post after waiting at least one month if retirement procedures are delayed. In practice, once the one-month waiting period has passed, the employee’s retirement procedures should be initiated and they should be permitted to retire.
What should a civil servant do if they want to retire but still have unused annual leave?
Annual leave can be taken in whole or in part at times deemed appropriate by the supervisor, and the leave for two consecutive years may be granted together. The Civil Servants Law does not provide for payment in lieu of unused annual leave. Therefore, it is up to the employee whether to use their remaining leave before retirement. They may choose to take remaining leave or to retire without using it; retirement rights are not contingent on using unused annual leave.
Is there an ideal day within a month to submit a retirement application? Is the 16th of the month best?
Civil servants’ service periods are calculated considering the beginning and end of the month. For example, if a civil servant receives salary for the first half of the month and retires on the 16th, their service is usually counted through the 14th of the following month, and pension payments typically begin effective the 15th. These calculations are aligned with salary coefficient applications that are usually reviewed in January and July.
Does the employee need an official “can retire from SGK” letter, or should they apply to their institution?
It is not necessary to obtain a formal retirement eligibility letter from SGK before applying. Employees can submit their retirement application directly to their institution. If problems arise, they may consult SGK, but obtaining a separate “can retire” document is not required as a general rule.
If the institution claims there is no staff to process the retirement and delays the application, what can the employee do?
Provisions in Law No. 657 address civil servants leaving their positions. Institutions are legally required to consider retirement requests in line with the law. Therefore, once an employee initiates retirement procedures, the institution should not arbitrarily postpone or block the process.
If the institution refuses to grant annual leave before retirement, what steps should the civil servant take?
Relevant provisions do not mandate that annual leave must be granted at a specific time; leave is used at times the supervisor deems appropriate. If disputes arise about leave scheduling before retirement, the employee should raise the matter through official institutional channels and, if necessary, seek guidance from administrative or legal advisers on civil service procedures.
How Should Employers Handle EYT Cases?
Employers will follow standard procedures when terminating employment for employees retiring under EYT. Termination should use the applicable code (code 8 for retirement-related separation). Employers must pay severance pay due to the retiring employee. Support for severance payments may be provided via the Credit Guarantee Fund. Employees who retire under EYT and return to work at the same employer within 30 days may be eligible for a 5% reduction in social security support contributions.
How much pension will those retiring under EYT receive?
There is a minimum retirement pension floor (for example, 5,500 TRY as a baseline), but actual pensions vary depending on the number of premium payment days, the insurance branch, reported earnings, and years of service. Consequently, pension amounts differ among individuals. Average calculated monthly pensions can vary by scheme: SSK, BAĞ-KUR, and the Civil Servants Pension Fund have different averages. Example averages under current assumptions may show differences between SSK and BAĞ-KUR retirees and those from the Civil Servants Pension Fund, reflecting each system’s calculation method.
How to Apply for EYT Retirement
- Log in to the e-Government (E-Devlet) portal.
- Select the document request for “income, monthly benefit claim certificate” and then choose the new application option.
- Under the allocation request type, select “old-age pension” and click the apply button.
- Choose the bank where the pension will be paid and specify the desired branch in the notes field.
- Click “next” and then “apply” to submit the information to SGK.