Details of the return-to-work support have been announced. Many people are wondering how to apply for this support. Below are answers to the most common questions about the return-to-work support to help you better understand its scope.
What You Need to Know About Return-to-Work Support
The Social Security Institution issued a circular outlining the details of the return-to-work support. According to the announcement, provisions apply to employers who hire and register for social insurance workers who were dismissed or working without insurance between January 1, 2019 and April 30, 2020, as well as to employers who currently employ uninsured workers and register them for insurance. Employers who rehire eligible employees and have them start work by December 31, 2020 will receive support of up to 44 TRY per day per worker, up to 1,324 TRY per month per worker.
If an employer’s rehired employees must take unpaid leave due to economic hardship, those workers may be eligible for cash assistance of 1,168 TRY per month. If an employer refuses to rehire a worker who has applied to return within the relevant dates, the worker may receive 1,030 TRY per month. Support payments will continue for the duration of the dismissal ban.
What Conditions Must Be Met for Workers and Employers?
Certain conditions must be met to benefit from the return-to-work support. First, the worker must have been dismissed between January 1, 2019 and April 17, 2020. The worker must apply to their former private-sector employer between December 1, 2020 and December 31, 2020, and the worker must be rehired within that period. Additionally, as of October 1, 2020 the worker must not be registered with the Social Security Institution for monthly premium and service declarations. The rehired or newly employed worker must not be retired, must not be receiving an old-age pension, must not be employed elsewhere, and must be a Turkish citizen.
There are also conditions for employers. The workplace must operate in the private sector. At least half of the workers covered by the support must be employed and remain actively working for the duration of the support period following its end.
Situation and Application Process for Those Dismissed Under Code 29
One of the most frequently asked questions concerns those dismissed under code 29. When the dismissal reason reported to the Social Security Institution is code 29, it is considered a termination based on a breach of rules of morality and good faith. Workers dismissed under code 29 cannot apply for return-to-work support at the same workplace; if they apply and the employer does not rehire them, they are not eligible for cash assistance. Workers dismissed under codes other than 29 can fully benefit from the support. If an employer cites a different code to avoid rehiring a worker, the applicant may file an objection with the Social Security Institution.
Applications for return-to-work support by dismissed workers can be made starting December 1. Although applications close on December 31, applicants are advised to submit earlier to avoid any last-minute issues. Workers currently employed without insurance may also apply to their workplace during these dates. Written applications are not mandatory; verbal applications will be accepted and no documents will be required at the time of application.