The global pandemic of coronavirus has led governments around the world to take various measures. During the recent Coordination Meeting for Combating Coronavirus held in our country, economic measures taken to minimize the effects of the virus were shared. Below, you can find detailed information about one of the notable items in this economic package, the Short-Time Work Allowance.
This is a practice implemented when the weekly working hours in a workplace are temporarily reduced by at least one-third or when the entire activity or part of it is suspended for at least four weeks without requiring continuity. When such a situation arises due to general economic, regional, or sectoral crises or compelling reasons, income support is provided to insured employees for the period they cannot work. The duration of this support is 3 months, but it can be extended up to 6 months by a presidential decision.
The Short-Time Work Allowance is, in simpler terms, the government's assumption of paying 60% of personnel salaries in cases where the activities of workplaces decrease or stop during extraordinary periods.
Under What Conditions Can Short-Time Work Be Applied in Workplaces?
Due to a crisis or compelling reasons at the country, regional, or sectoral level, it is necessary for the employer to apply to İŞKUR and for labor inspectors to determine that the activities in the workplace have significantly decreased or stopped.
To implement the short-time work practice, at least one of the following 4 conditions must be met:
General Economic Crisis
A situation where the national economy and, consequently, workplaces are significantly affected by events occurring in the national or international economy.
Sectoral Crisis
A situation where events in the national or international economy affect certain sectors, other sectors related to them, and workplaces operating in these sectors.
Regional Crisis
A situation where workplaces located in a specific province or region are significantly affected by events on a national or international scale.
Compelling Reasons
Unforeseen events such as fire, mobilization, epidemic disease, earthquake, which are not caused by the employer's fault in management and administration, or periodic situations caused by external factors that necessitate the shortening of working hours or the suspension of all or part of the activities in the workplace.
If labor and employer confederations claim the existence of some compelling reasons or if there are strong indications in this direction, the situation is evaluated and decided by the İŞKUR Board of Directors. If an application has been made due to compelling reasons such as epidemic disease, fire, mobilization, landslide, earthquake, and flooding, a board decision is not required.
If the board does not have a decision regarding compelling reasons arising from general economic, regional, or sectoral crises or periodic situations caused by external factors, the institution unit can reject the applications made by employers.
The new type of coronavirus (Covid-19) is a problem that affects many countries around the world, arising from external factors and necessitating the reduction or suspension of activities in workplaces, thus fulfilling the conditions required for the implementation of the short-time work allowance procedure.
Since workplaces are negatively affected by coronavirus, the process for employers wishing to benefit from this allowance works as follows:
The employer makes the application by filling out the "Short-Time Work Request Form" available on the İŞKUR page. During this time, they must also present evidence showing their current situation and a list of personnel for whom short-time work will be implemented. The application can be made by sending a message to the e-mail address of the İŞKUR unit to which the workplace is affiliated. The institution may request additional documents from the employer if necessary.
During the evaluation of the application, the employer is informed that the application has been received.
The application is then sent to the Ministry of Guidance and Inspection for suitability determination.
After the labor inspectors conduct an examination and complete the suitability determination, if the employer wishes to make changes to the short-time work duration and/or the list of personnel who will work short-time, this situation is treated as a new application.
Employees cannot apply for short-time work. The application must be made by the employer on behalf of the employees.
How Will the Results Be Communicated to the Employer?
For employers wishing to benefit from the short-time work allowance by citing the negative effects of Covid-19, the result of the request will be sent to the e-mail address they applied from. If the employer's request is found suitable, they must update the short-time notification lists and send them to the e-mail address of the İŞKUR unit they applied to within the time specified by the institution.
According to the latest regulation, employees who have worked as insured for the last 60 days and have paid 450 days of unemployment insurance premium will be able to benefit from the short-time work allowance. Before this regulation, it was required to have worked as insured for the last 120 days and paid 600 days of unemployment insurance premium.
The daily payment to be made to insured personnel will be calculated based on the earnings subject to premium for the last year and will be made based on 60% of the employee's average daily earnings. The amount found as a result of this calculation will be at most 150% of the gross minimum wage amount.
The allowance to be given to the employee will be paid through PTT Bank on the 5th of each month.
The wages for the week off, public holidays, and national holidays for personnel working short-time will be paid by the employer and the institution. The amounts will be calculated proportionally to the short-time work duration.
The Employer Has a Record-Keeping Obligation
If the short-time work request is deemed appropriate and the implementation begins, the employer is obliged to keep records regarding the working hours of the employees and to present these records if requested.
If the employee receiving the short-time work allowance;
If the employer decides to resume normal activities in the workplace while the short-time work application is ongoing, they must notify the institution unit in writing at least 6 business days in advance, as well as the employee union, if any, and the employees. The short-time work period ends on the date specified in this notification. If unnecessary payments are made by the institution due to late notifications, these payments are collected from the employer with legal interest added.
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