In our country, couples who both work and have children — or plan to have children — face significant challenges. After women finish their maternity leave, they can stay with their infants using half-day nursing breaks. However, once those nursing breaks end, the real difficulties begin. Couples must decide who will care for the child: hire an in-home caregiver, rely on the maternal or paternal grandmother, or, if spouses work in different cities and hiring a caregiver is difficult, send their young children to daycare. The recently discussed opportunity for civil servant fathers to work part-time provides a major benefit for fathers.
Under law no. 672, fathers are entitled to 10 days of leave after the birth of a child, while private-sector workers covered by labor law receive 5 days of paternity leave. Fathers also have the right to use up to 10 days of leave per year if their child falls ill. Mothers receive leave both before and after childbirth: the final 8 weeks of pregnancy and the first 8 weeks after birth are reserved for maternity leave. Additionally, mothers can request up to 6 months of unpaid leave. After that, until the child is one year old, the mother is entitled to 1.5 hours per working day for breastfeeding, an entitlement that applies in both the private and public sectors. As these measures were considered insufficient by some, the idea of allowing civil servant fathers to work part-time has come to the fore.
What the New Regulation Brings: Part-Time Work Opportunities for Civil Servant Fathers
The most significant change in the new regulation is that the half-day work option previously granted to mothers is now extended to fathers as well. Fathers employed in either the private sector or the public sector can benefit from this right. After the enactment of law no. 6663 on February 10, 2016, many questions arose among workers and employers about how these provisions would be implemented.
- One major issue resolved by the new law concerned career progression and salary during maternity leave. Previously, when an employee took maternity leave, their time-in-post, grade, and step progression were frozen for the duration of the leave. The new regulation eliminates this problem.
- No rights are lost because a spouse is on maternity leave. Civil servants whose advancement depends on time in post will no longer lose that entitlement. The regulation explicitly addresses these matters, including options for civil servant fathers to work part-time.
- If an early birth occurs during the 8-week prenatal leave, the 8-week postnatal leave begins after the premature birth. Previously, any prenatal leave lost because of early delivery was not added to the postnatal period. Under the new regulation, any remaining prenatal weeks are now added to the postnatal period.
- On the mother’s request, a mother has the right to work part-time for 2 months after the first birth, 4 months after the second birth, and 6 months after the third birth. This provision previously applied only based on the mother’s childbirth.
- Under the part-time opportunity for civil servant fathers, fathers may work part-time until their child reaches primary school age. During this period, fathers receive half of their salary. Their progression in step increases is also recalculated based on the duration of part-time work, which affects how quickly they receive grade advances.
- For families who adopt a child, an eight-week leave is available regardless of whether the spouse is working. This leave begins on the date the child is legally adopted.
- Fathers who are insured or self-employed also qualify for child-nurturing allowances (commonly referred to as “milk money”). For fathers whose spouses do not work, eligibility for this allowance requires at least 120 days of social security contributions.
Advantages and Disadvantages of Part-Time Work for Civil Servant Fathers
The regulation allowing part-time work for civil servant fathers brings both advantages and disadvantages. Extending a right previously given to mothers to fathers is clearly a major benefit, offering greater flexibility and involvement in childcare.
- However, during periods of part-time work, employees face salary reductions and slower career progression. For example, a father earning 400 TL per month who works half-time for two years will receive a reduced income and will only receive step increases half as frequently. This effect is not limited to civil servants; similar consequences apply in other sectors.
- Also, fathers whose spouses do not work may be ineligible for some of these benefits.
- Fathers employed in the private sector who wish to take advantage of part-time options will also experience salary reductions.
- It is important to note that women in the private sector seeking part-time pay after childbirth must have accumulated 600 days of unemployment insurance contributions prior to birth to be eligible for certain benefits.
Fathers who wish to use this opportunity must ensure that both parents have not already applied for part-time work for the same child. The child must be born healthy, and either the father or the mother must have given birth. Fathers applying to benefit from the regulation should submit a formal written request to their workplace. Following review by the relevant institution, daily working hours are adjusted according to job requirements, and start and end times for shifts are determined. Work schedules are planned with the employee’s duties in mind, generally arranging work so it does not exceed three days per week or eight hours on those days. Weekly working time is calculated as half of the full-time schedule.
The part-time work option for civil servant fathers is expected to provide significant convenience to both parents. It enables parents to spend more time with their children and reduces the need to seek external childcare solutions. Although families may face some financial strain as a result of reduced income, many will consider that sacrifice worthwhile to be present for their children during these important early years.