As individuals approach the end of their working lives, many begin to wonder about the current status of those affected by the retirement age issue (commonly referred to as “those whose retirement is blocked by age”) and increasingly voice their grievances. Attention has turned to the proposed regulations of 2018.
Will a Suitable Regulation for the Retirement Age Law Be Introduced?
Many thousands, even hundreds of thousands, have long awaited a retirement age law. The former Minister of Labor and Social Policies, Mehmet Müezzinoğlu, gave a negative response to these expectations. After the change in the ministry, the same questions were addressed to the new minister, Jülide Sarıeroğlu. Although the outlook is not particularly encouraging, authorities announced that the draft law prepared for submission to parliament would consist of 15 articles. According to this draft, any citizen who wishes to retire immediately could do so by accepting a permanent reduction in their monthly pension of 5% for every month they continue to work. In other words, citizens who have completed their required contribution days but are waiting only for the age condition would be able to start retirement procedures.
Under this draft law, reductions would be applied according to the years remaining until the retirement age as follows:
- Those 1 year away from retirement: 4% reduction
- Those 2 years away from retirement: 5% reduction
- Those 3 years away from retirement: 6% reduction
- Those 4 years away from retirement: 7% reduction
- Those 5 years away from retirement: 8% reduction
- Those 6 years away from retirement: 9% reduction
- Those 7 years away from retirement: 10% reduction
With these lowered pension rates, eligible individuals could receive a lifetime pension immediately.
Groups More Likely to Retire Early
Whether or not changes to the retirement age law are implemented, certain conditions already enable earlier retirement. Key examples include:
- Occupations subject to wear-and-tear allowances
Jobs that involve heavy physical effort or hazardous service—such as law enforcement or similar duties—may qualify for a “wear-and-tear” credit (additional service time). This effective service-time increase can shorten the time to retirement.
- Men who completed military service before starting work
Men can use military service credit to count those months toward their contribution period. This military service buy-back can reduce required contribution days by one or two years in some cases, effectively accelerating eligibility for retirement. The date the individual began work determines the applicable buy-back period.
- Women who can use childbearing credit to retire earlier
Just as men may credit military service, women can use childbearing buy-back. A woman who has worked for many years and meets the age and service year criteria but lacks sufficient contributions may receive credit for childbirth. For up to three children, mothers can claim 720 days per child, which amounts to nearly six years of credited time. This right is also extended to adoptive mothers, provided the adopted child was under two years old at adoption. Conditions typically include:
- Being insured (under SSK) before the birth,
- The child surviving at least two years after birth,
- And for the two-year period after birth, there must be at least two years without employer-paid contributions on the mother’s behalf (only unpaid periods are eligible for buy-back).
- Those who started work before 9 September 1999
Individuals who began work before 9 September 1999 and have 15 years of insured service and 3,600 contribution days may be eligible to retire.
- Mothers with children in need of continuous care
Mothers with children who require constant care may also qualify for earlier retirement under the 2018 retirement provisions and earlier rules. For these mothers, one quarter of the contribution days paid after 2008 can be added to their total insured days, which may effectively reduce the retirement age requirement.