The Social Security Institution (SGK) Will Cover Payments for Coronavirus Medical Leave. The coronavirus, which emerged about four months ago and has spread worldwide, has also been detected in Turkey. Citizens who receive medical leave due to coronavirus will have their lost workdays paid by SGK. According to the regulation, SGK will pay for up to 14 days of work loss for those who receive medical leave because of coronavirus. For a worker earning the minimum wage, the payment for a 14-day medical leave equals at least 785 TL. Depending on salary, the maximum payable amount for a 14-day leave can reach 5,866 TL. These payments will be handled by SGK.
Following global precautions against coronavirus, Turkey has heightened measures for confirmed carriers. For employees, this has meant options such as remote work and medical leave. Workers who must travel abroad or who have been in contact with people from abroad typically undergo a 14-day isolation period to minimize the virus’s spread. It is possible to obtain medical leave for this 14-day isolation. If you are in this situation and have been issued medical leave, SGK will make the corresponding payment for the period covered by the leave.
How Is SGK Sick Leave Pay Calculated?
Sick leave pay (temporary incapacity benefit) and other similar allowances, such as maternity benefits, are calculated based on an employee’s gross earnings. For outpatient treatment, sick leave payments are generally made at two-thirds of the employee’s gross salary. These payments are distributed through public banks or the national postal service (PTT).
To qualify for this benefit, a health report must be issued by a physician or medical board authorized by the Social Security Institution. In addition, to receive payment, the employee must have been insured with SGK for at least 90 days within the previous year. If these conditions are not met, the individual is not eligible for payment.
When calculating sick leave payments, compensation starts from the third day of the work incapacity period. The first two days of the leave are paid by the employer without deduction from the employee’s salary. The actual benefit amount is determined by taking the average of the employee’s gross wages for the last three months and applying the appropriate daily rate for the number of leave days. This average is used to compute the payment for each day of the medical leave.