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A new law published in the Official Gazette has significantly expanded maternity leave in Türkiye, extending paid leave from 16 to 24 weeks while introducing a wide range of social, digital, and labor regulations.
Under amendments to both the Civil Servants Law and Labor Law, paid maternity leave has been increased from a total of 16 weeks, previously split into eight weeks before and eight weeks after birth, to 24 weeks. The move aims to strengthen postnatal protections and improve working conditions for women.
At the same time, paid paternity leave has been doubled from five to ten days, bringing private-sector workers in line with public-sector employees. The law also introduces a new entitlement for foster parents, granting them up to 10 days of leave upon receiving a child.
Additional provisions support foster families without social security coverage, as the state will now cover voluntary insurance premiums upon request.
The legislation introduces strict rules for digital platforms, particularly those serving younger users. Social media providers are now required to ensure that children under the age of 15 cannot access their services, and they must implement effective age verification systems to enforce this rule.
For users aged 15 and above, platforms must provide tailored or differentiated services, with all such measures publicly outlined on their websites. Companies are also obligated to respond to requests from Türkiye’s Information and Communication Technologies Authority (BTK) within a maximum of 15 days.
Foreign-based gaming platforms with more than 100,000 daily users in Türkiye must appoint a local representative to handle official communications and regulatory obligations. Contact details for these representatives must be easily accessible online.
The law imposes new employment restrictions aimed at protecting children. Individuals convicted of crimes such as sexual abuse, drug-related offenses, intentional homicide, or prostitution are now barred from working in environments where children are commonly present, including schools, daycare centers, dormitories, parks, and internet cafes.
The legislation also introduces financial incentives to encourage charitable contributions. Donations of food, cleaning supplies, and clothing to Darulaceze, a long-standing social care institution in Türkiye, will now be exempt from income tax and value-added tax.
In parallel, financial support mechanisms for private public transport operators, such as buses and maritime services authorized by municipalities, have been restructured. These payments will be made monthly through municipal channels, funded by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization and Climate Change.
The law clarifies public employment conditions for young people who have grown up under state care. To qualify, individuals must not have reached the age of 30 and must have been under protection at the time they reached legal adulthood.
If employed in the private sector, their social security premiums will be fully covered by the state for five years, aiming to ease their transition into the workforce.
Additionally, residential social service institutions will introduce software-supported camera systems to improve service quality. Unless required for legal proceedings, recorded data will be deleted after two years.
The Social and Economic Support (SED) program, which provides financial assistance to families in need and young people leaving state care, has been restructured with clearer financial limits.
Payments under the program will now be capped at the level of the highest civil servant salary, including additional indicators. Monthly support can be provided for up to two years, while one-time assistance may be granted up to twice per year.
Temporary support payments can reach up to three times the established upper limit, but assistance will be limited to a maximum of two individuals per household. Support generally continues until a child turns 18, or up to 25 if they remain in formal higher education.
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