Many civil servants work in the public sector in our country, and these individuals must pass certain exams to become public employees. After the Public Personnel Selection Examination (KPSS), a preference system opens and candidates submit their choices. Following appointments, the process of becoming a state employee begins. The state grants specific leave rights to civil servants, including bereavement leave. In this article, we will discuss bereavement leave for civil servants.
Matters concerning civil servants are governed largely by Law No. 657 on Civil Servants. Civil servants can consult this law for information about leave and other rights. According to Law No. 657, bereavement leave is granted when a civil servant’s first-degree relative dies. The law defines first-degree relatives as:
- The civil servant’s spouse.
- The civil servant’s father.
- The civil servant’s mother.
- The civil servant’s child.
- The civil servant’s sibling.
When one of these first-degree relatives dies, the civil servant is entitled to seven days of bereavement leave. This seven-day compassionate leave is specified and protected under Law No. 657. The same law also guarantees numerous other rights for civil servants. These protections help employees concentrate on their work during normal conditions and provide necessary time off when personal emergencies occur.
The scope of bereavement leave is defined in this way. In addition to bereavement leave, civil servants may receive excused absences for situations such as natural disasters, which also helps them return to work more focused.
Bereavement Leave for Teachers
Teachers are also considered civil servants and work under Law No. 657. In addition, the Ministry of National Education has issued a Personnel Leave Directive that details leave rules specific to educational staff. Under these regulations, teachers are entitled to seven days of bereavement leave when a first-degree relative dies. The definition of first-degree relatives for teachers is the same as for other civil servants: the spouse, child, mother, father, or sibling. If any of these relatives passes away, a teacher can use the seven-day bereavement leave.
Bereavement leave rules also cover contract-based positions in some cases. Certain public roles are filled by personnel employed under contract rather than permanent appointments, and these contract workers have leave entitlements defined in their agreements. Generally, bereavement leave for contract staff is shorter than for permanent civil servants; in many cases, contract employees are granted three days of leave for the death of a first-degree relative.
Leave rights provided by the state may be used independently of annual leave balances. If a civil servant has exhausted their annual leave but needs time off due to death or birth in the family, they still retain their right to bereavement or birth-related leave. The exhaustion of annual leave does not affect the entitlement to these special leaves. This protection is one of the benefits guaranteed by the Civil Servants Law.
Maternity Leave and Paternity Leave
In addition to bereavement leave, civil servants enjoy several family-related leave rights, including paternity leave and maternity leave. When a male civil servant becomes a father, he is entitled to paternity leave; when a female civil servant gives birth, she is entitled to maternity leave. The state provides these supports to facilitate family responsibilities.
Details on paternity and maternity leave are also outlined in Law No. 657. Paternity leave is covered in Article 140 of the law, and it allows male civil servants to take up to ten days of leave after the birth of their child. Maternity leave is longer: a female civil servant is granted 16 weeks of total maternity leave, consisting of eight weeks before the expected birth and eight weeks after delivery.