Detail in the MTP affecting millions of employees: Conditions for unemployment benefits are changing

In the new Medium-Term Program (MTP) covering the 2027-2029 period, regulations aimed at "flexicurity" and increasing access in the labor market have come to the fore. The program stated that the conditions for benefiting from passive labor market programs funded by the Unemployment Insurance Fund will be eased.

According to a report by Ahmet Kıvanç from Habertürk, this statement is being interpreted as a sign that the eligibility criteria for fund-based support, primarily unemployment benefits and short-term work allowances, may be reconsidered. The regulation is expected to aim at increasing employees' access to social protection, especially in a labor market where flexible working models are becoming more widespread.

According to the MTP announced by Vice President Cevdet Yılmaz, employment is projected to increase by an annual average of 711 thousand people in the 2027-2029 period. If the target is met, the total increase in employment over three years will reach 2.1 million people. The program estimates that the unemployment rate, which is expected to be 8.1 percent this year, will decline to 7.6 percent in 2029.

HOW DO THE CURRENT CONDITIONS WORK?

According to the current regulation, in order to receive unemployment benefits, an employee must have been subject to a service contract for the last 120 days prior to the termination of their employment contract. In addition, there is a requirement to have paid unemployment insurance premiums for at least 600 days within the last 3 years.

The duration of the benefit also varies according to the number of premium days. Those who have been insured for 600 days in the last 3 years are given 180 days of unemployment benefits, those who have worked for 900 days are given 240 days, and those who have worked for 1080 days are given 300 days. However, these conditions alone are not sufficient to qualify; the reason for leaving the job must also be reported to the Social Security Institution (SGK) in a way that allows for the receipt of unemployment benefits.

It is stated that the current system makes access difficult for those working flexibly or intermittently. Even full-time employees may be unable to benefit from the allowance due to premium day requirements, the last 120-day rule, or the job termination code.

In international examples, it is seen that shorter periods of work can be sufficient to access unemployment benefits. For example, in Germany, those who have worked for 12 months in the last 2 years can receive 12 months of unemployment benefits. In France, working for 4 months within the last 28 months can be sufficient to benefit from the allowance under certain conditions. In Denmark, support for up to 24 months can be provided to those who have worked for 52 weeks in the last 3 years.

THE DEBATE OVER JOB TERMINATION CODES

One of the most critical issues in accessing unemployment benefits in Turkey is the job termination code reported by the employer to the SGK. İŞKUR evaluates whether the employee is eligible for the benefit based on this notification. If the termination is reported with a code that does not entitle the employee to unemployment benefits, payment cannot be made even if the premium days are complete.

For this reason, it is stated that in any potential regulation, not only the premium and work duration conditions but also the mechanisms to be applied against arbitrary or incorrect reporting of job termination codes are of great importance. From March 2002, when the first payment was made from the Unemployment Insurance Fund, until July 31, 2026, 23 million 667 thousand 740 people applied for unemployment benefits; 12 million 604 thousand 54 of these applicants were able to receive payments.

News Source: 12punto