Politics · Turkey · 5 hrs ago
Turkey to change unemployment benefit calculations for workers with two jobs
A worker in Turkey who held two jobs at the same time said their unemployment benefit was calculated using an average of the two reported earnings, rather than their combined earnings.
The worker appealed to the Public Ombudsman Institution, saying unemployment insurance contributions had been paid on earnings from both jobs.
The ombudsman said the average-based method could reduce the income used to calculate the benefit and was inconsistent with fairness and the purpose of unemployment insurance.
It recommended that İŞKUR recalculate the worker’s benefit using the monthly total of earnings from both jobs over the final four months of work.
The calculation must stay within legal limits, and days worked must not be counted twice.
İŞKUR has said it will recalculate the worker’s benefit and pay any shortfall.
It has also begun work on changing its guidance, which could affect how similar cases are handled.
Turkey’s employment agency has started work to change how unemployment benefits are calculated for people who worked at two jobs at the same time.
The move follows a recommendation from the Public Ombudsman Institution to use the combined monthly earnings reported by both employers, rather than their arithmetic average.
The recommendation says the calculation should not count contribution days for the same months more than once and must remain within the limits set by law.
The agency said it would recalculate the benefit for the worker who complained and pay any difference due.
- Who
- Turkey’s employment agency, İŞKUR, and the Public Ombudsman Institution, KDK, are involved. The case concerns a worker who held two jobs at the same time.
- What
- İŞKUR is working to change how unemployment benefits are calculated for workers with two jobs. The KDK recommended using the combined monthly earnings reported by both employers.
- When
- The reports were published on October 20, 2026. The dates of the complaint and recommendation are not stated.
- Where
- Turkey.
- Why
- A worker said the benefit was based on the arithmetic average of earnings from two jobs, despite contributions being reported for both. The KDK said this reduced the compensation for lost income and conflicted with the purpose of unemployment insurance, social security rights and fairness.
This story does not have two clearly opposing sides.
The KDK examined how the worker’s unemployment benefit had been calculated.
The KDK recommended recalculating the benefit using combined monthly earnings from both workplaces and paying any difference due.
İŞKUR said it would recalculate the worker’s benefit and began work on changing its unemployment benefit guidance.
The reports on the recommendation and İŞKUR’s planned changes were published.
- Jobs held
- Two workplaces at the same time
- Earnings period
- The last four months
- Calculation recommended
- Monthly total of earnings reported by both workplaces
- Contribution days
- Do not add days for the same months more than once
- Legal limit
- Article 50 of Law No. 4447
- Agency
- İŞKUR
3 sources
What people are saying
Arithmetic average, not total earnings, should be taken into account
The monthly total of earnings subject to premiums reported by two separate workplaces in the same months during the last four-month period should be used