How much is unemployment benefit? Amount, cap and eligibility
Short answer
Unemployment benefit is 40 percent of the average daily gross earnings over the last 120 days and cannot exceed 80 percent of the gross monthly minimum wage. A minimum-wage worker currently receives 13 bin 111 lira a month.
Checklist
- At least 600 premium days in the last 3 years
- Insured work during the last 120 days
- Dismissal not due to own fault
How is unemployment benefit calculated?
Unemployment benefit is paid by İŞKUR (the Turkish Employment Agency) from the Unemployment Insurance Fund. It is set at 40 percent of the insured person's average daily gross earnings, calculated from premium-basis earnings of the last 4 months (120 days). The benefit cannot exceed 80 percent of the gross monthly minimum wage. Only stamp duty is deducted from the benefit.
Lowest and highest amount
The sources we used contain no officially announced lowest or highest monthly figure from İŞKUR. The cap rule is given as 80 percent. The only current amount in the sources is the 13 bin 111 lira a month that a minimum-wage worker receives today if dismissed. For exact limits, check İŞKUR's current announcement.
Eligibility conditions
- Reason for leaving: Dismissed by the employer for reasons beyond one's own will and fault.
- Premium days: Paid unemployment insurance premiums for at least 600 days in the last 3 years before dismissal.
- Recent employment: Worked as an insured person during the last 120 days before dismissal.
Payment period
- 600 days of premiums: 180 days (6 months) for those who paid 600 days in the last 3 years.
- 900 days of premiums: 240 days (8 months) for those who paid 900 days in the last 3 years.
- 1080 days of premiums: 300 days (10 months) for those who paid 1080 days in the last 3 years.
New development for people with two workplaces
The Ombudsman Institution (KDK) issued a recommendation to İŞKUR against taking the arithmetic average of earnings when calculating benefits for people working at two workplaces at the same time. KDK asked that the monthly total of premium-basis earnings reported from both workplaces in the same months of the last four-month period be used, that premium days for the same months not be added twice, and that the calculation be redone within the limits of Article 50 of Law No. 4447.
İŞKUR is reported to have argued that the legislation does not allow premium-basis earnings to be added directly for simultaneous work at two workplaces, and that the 30-day equivalent of the total of premium days and earnings is used. According to Sözcü, İŞKUR paid the worker concerned after the decision and began work on a permanent change to its Unemployment Benefit Circular.
Frequently asked questions
What percentage of gross earnings is the benefit?
40 percent of average daily gross earnings over the last 120 days. The cap is 80 percent of the gross monthly minimum wage.
Are deductions made from the benefit?
Only stamp duty is deducted.
For how many months is it paid?
6, 8 or 10 months depending on premium days: 600, 900 and 1080 days respectively.
Can someone who resigns receive it?
According to the sources, only those dismissed by the employer for reasons beyond their own will and fault qualify.
Source: İŞKUR
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