One of the most discussed topics of 2021 was whether self-employed workers under the 4b insurance branch (Bağ-Kur) are eligible for unemployment benefits. Until 2021, self-employed persons working on their own account and covered by Bağ-Kur did not have the right to unemployment pay.
With the Ahilik Sandığı project, which began preparations in 2018, self-employed individuals and those insured under Bağ-Kur will contribute premiums through this scheme and gain access to unemployment benefits. If you wonder “Can tradespeople and Bağ-Kur subscribers receive unemployment benefits?”, the conditions and application procedures are explained in detail below.
Can a Tradesperson Receive Unemployment Benefits?
Employees insured under the SSK branch already have unemployment insurance rights when they leave employment. To receive unemployment pay, workers must have paid at least 600 days of insurance premiums within the last three years and have worked during the last 120 days. The unemployment benefits provided to SSK-insured unemployed workers did not apply to those under Bağ-Kur.
The question of whether tradespeople can receive unemployment benefits resurfaced in 2021 because of new regulations. Under the Ahilik Sandığı project planned to be implemented from 2021, tradespeople will be granted unemployment benefit rights. The Ahilik Sandığı system has been developed since 2018; once implemented, tradespeople’s contributions will be paid under the Ahilik Sandığı name.
These contributions are intended to be returned as unemployment pay if the tradesperson leaves work. People covered by Ahilik Sandığı are expected to be able to receive unemployment benefits as early as 2024. The earliest payment date is tied to the requirement of at least three years of premium payments for eligibility.
What Are the Eligibility Conditions for Tradespeople?
Unemployment benefits for those insured under 4b are a new application; for 2021 taxpayers, there are specific eligibility conditions to qualify for unemployment pay.
The conditions for taxpayers to receive unemployment benefits in 2021 are as follows:
- Tradespeople must have paid at least 600 days of premiums within a three-year period.
- They must have paid premiums regularly for 120 days within the last four months.
- Because at least three years of premium payments are required, the earliest unemployment benefit payments for tradespeople will be possible in 2024.
- If a person has more than 90 days of outstanding premium debt under Ahilik Sandığı, they will not be eligible for the unemployment benefit.
- If a tradesperson has at least 90 days of premium debt and their workplace closes, any unemployment benefit paid will be deducted to cover the premium debt and payments will continue after that deduction.
How to Apply for Tradesperson Unemployment Benefits
When a tradesperson’s business closes, they must apply to İŞKUR via the e‑Government portal within 30 days from the date their insurance ends. No additional justification is required beyond the end of insurance.
Application steps for tradespeople:
- Open your web browser and go to turkiye.gov.tr.
- On the home page search box, type “İşsizlik Ödeneği” and click search.
- Authenticate with your national ID number and e‑Government password.
- Search for “İşsizlik Ödeneği / İş Kaybı Tazminatı Başvurusu” on the portal.
- Complete the required information on the form and submit your application.
If tradespeople fail to notify İŞKUR within 30 days of the end of their insurance, they will lose entitlement for the delayed period. Unemployment benefits for tradespeople are paid over a 12‑month period; for example, if an applicant delays by one month, they will receive payments for 11 months instead of 12. Therefore, notifying İŞKUR promptly ensures the maximum duration of benefit payments.
If a tradesperson receiving unemployment benefits starts a new business or takes another job, and then later closes that business or leaves the job without meeting the necessary conditions, unemployment benefit may continue based on the previously accrued entitlement period. If the tradesperson meets new eligibility requirements, they may gain a new entitlement to unemployment benefits under those conditions.
Required Documents for Unemployment Benefit Application
There are specific documents required for tradespeople insured under Bağ-Kur who wish to apply for unemployment benefits. Applicants must submit the specified documents with their application.
Documents for taxpayer unemployed applicants include:
- Kısa Çalışma Talep Formu (Short-Time Working Request Form)
Tradespeople who will receive unemployment benefits must complete the Short-Time Working Request Form and apply through the e‑Government system.
How Much is the Unemployment Insurance Premium for Tradespeople?
In 2021, the contributions required from tradespeople were set at 2% of the prime-based earnings as the insured share and 1% as the state share. For 2021 the insured share amounted to 57.17 TL and the state contribution to 25.29 TL. Unemployment benefit payments for tradespeople will be calculated as 40% of the prime-based earnings for the last four months.
How is Unemployment Pay Calculated?
Unemployment benefits are paid to people who lose their jobs under Social Security Institution rules. Applicants often wonder how the unemployment pay amount is calculated. Payments are reviewed annually and adjusted based on various factors. For those insured under SGK, the calculation follows these steps:
- The calculation is based on the worker’s last four months of paid premiums.
- The daily unemployment amount equals 40% of the daily average gross earnings based on those four months.
- For calculation purposes, the worker’s previous salary must not be less than 80% of the gross minimum wage while employed.
- If the worker’s prior salary is higher, the daily unemployment benefit will be 40% of the daily average earnings; however, the payable amount cannot exceed 80% of the gross minimum wage as the daily cap.
How to Check Unemployment Benefit Status
Those who have applied for unemployment benefits can check their status as follows:
- Open turkiye.gov.tr in your browser.
- Search for “İşsizlik Ödeneği” in the query section.
- Click the “İşsizlik Ödeneği/İş Kaybı Tazminatı ve Kısa Çalışma Ödeneği” entry.
- Authenticate with your national ID number and e‑Government password.
- From the opened page you can perform all queries related to unemployment benefits.
When Will the Unemployment Benefit Be Paid?
After the application process is completed and approved, unemployment benefits are typically deposited into beneficiaries’ accounts within one month.
For How Long Are Unemployment Benefits Paid?
Tradespeople who qualify receive unemployment benefits for a 12‑month period. For employees covered by other SGK branches, the duration depends on their total paid premium days:
- Those with 600 days of contributions in the last three years receive benefits for 6 months,
- Those with 900 days receive benefits for 8 months,
- Those with 1,080 days receive benefits for 10 months.
When Are Unemployment Benefits Cut Off?
Unemployment benefits may be suspended or terminated for several reasons, including:
- Refusing a job offered by İŞKUR without a valid excuse,
- Being found to work unregistered during inspections by labor or SGK inspectors,
- Beginning to receive an old-age pension,
- Refusing or failing to attend vocational training recommended by İŞKUR without valid reason,
- Failing to provide requested documents to İŞKUR when contacted in a timely manner,
- Starting a salaried job while receiving unemployment benefits.
If benefits are cut for these reasons, recipients can restore their payments by complying with İŞKUR requirements and responding to calls or starting the recommended training.
- Start or continue the training recommended by İŞKUR,
- Respond to İŞKUR’s communications and provide requested documents,
- If payments are reinstated, the remaining entitlement period is calculated based on the original total entitlement. For example, if someone was entitled to 8 months but received only 3 months before suspension, reinstatement would cover the remaining 5 months.
What Happens to Unclaimed Unemployment Pay?
Unemployment benefits must be collected within three months. If beneficiaries do not withdraw their payments from PTT branches within this period, the funds are reclaimed. Even if a late claim is made after the three months, the reclaimed payments will not be reissued.
How to Claim Backdated Unemployment Benefits
If a person was dismissed unfairly by their employer or resigned for valid reasons, they may apply for backdated unemployment benefits. İŞKUR will conduct an investigation based on the employer’s reporting codes submitted to SGK. The employer must provide the correct exit code; if the employer reports an incorrect code to SGK, the applicant may be denied backdated benefits.
In such cases, the employee can file a lawsuit against the employer. If the court rules in favor of the employee, unemployment benefits for the relevant period will be paid retroactively in a lump sum.
This article reviewed whether tradespeople and Bağ-Kur subscribers can receive unemployment benefits, how unemployment pay is calculated, and how to check benefit status.