08.12.2025 14:31
The Ministry of Family and Social Services plans to extend the maternity leave period for female employees from 16 weeks to 24 weeks. The new regulation will also grant leave rights to foster families. Additionally, paternity leave will be increased to 10 days.
The Ministry of Family and Social Services plans to extend the "maternity leave" period from 16 weeks to up to 24 weeks in its new regulation aimed at balancing work and family life and addressing the declining population growth rate.
According to information obtained by AA correspondent from the Ministry, the work to increase the maternity leave period for female employees from 16 weeks to 24 weeks is nearing completion.
ALL WOMEN WILL BENEFIT
It is expected that all women in the workforce, including civil servants, workers, military personnel, judges-prosecutors, personnel of public economic enterprises (KİT), and academics, will benefit from the said regulation.
ARRANGED AS 8 WEEKS BEFORE BIRTH AND 16 WEEKS AFTER BIRTH
In the regulation that will expand the scope of maternity leave, the maternity leave periods specified in the "Civil Servants Law," "Labor Law," and "Turkish Armed Forces Personnel Law" will be rearranged to a total of 24 weeks, consisting of 8 weeks before birth and 16 weeks after birth.
PATERNITY LEAVE INCREASED TO 10 DAYS
In the current application, paternity leave, which is 5 days for employees subject to the Labor Law, will be calculated as 10 days for all personnel statuses with the new regulation.
FOSTER FAMILIES WILL BENEFIT FOR THE FIRST TIME
The study will grant leave rights for the first time to civil servants, workers, and military personnel who are foster families. Currently, there is no leave available for foster families. The regulation foresees granting 10 days of foster family leave to civil servants, workers, and military personnel who are foster families for a child under the age of 3.
Currently, female civil servants use 8 weeks of paid leave before and after birth; following this, practices such as part-time work, breastfeeding leave, and unpaid leave come into play. For workers, there is a total of 16 weeks of leave before and after birth under the Labor Law No. 4857.
With the regulation, the leave periods in different personnel regimes will be equalized, aiming for all women in the public and private sectors to benefit from maternity leave equally and extensively.
The said regulation is planned to be submitted to the Grand National Assembly of Turkey (TBMM) after the final touches by the Ministry and the AK Party. The regulation, which will be addressed within the Assembly's discussion schedule, is expected to come into effect in the new year.