Employee Rights During Pregnancy and After Childbirth

Employee Rights During Pregnancy and After Childbirth

Accurate information and proper implementation regarding employee rights and employer obligations are crucial for establishing a fair and healthy working environment. In this regard, employers must act in compliance with the legislation concerning the working hours, leave entitlements, and social security rights of employees during pregnancy.

The Labor Law grants various rights to pregnant and postpartum employees, and the correct implementation of these rights both enhances employee satisfaction and ensures legal compliance within the workplace.

📌 Maternity Leave and Duration

According to Article 74 of the Labor Law, employees are entitled to a total of 16 weeks of paid maternity leave—8 weeks before childbirth and 8 weeks after. With a doctor’s approval, up to 5 weeks of the prenatal leave may be transferred to the postnatal period.

📌 Right to Part-Time Work After Childbirth

After maternity leave ends, employees may benefit from the right to work part-time for up to 60 days to care for their child. During this period, an allowance is provided by İŞKUR to compensate for income loss.
To be eligible, employees must apply to the nearest İŞKUR office within 30 days following the end of maternity leave.

📌 Right to Unpaid Leave

Employees may take up to 6 months of unpaid leave after maternity leave. However, unpaid leave and part-time work rights cannot be used simultaneously; the employee must choose one of these options.

📌 Daily Working Hour Limitation

Under the legislation, pregnant or breastfeeding employees cannot be required to work more than 7.5 hours per day. Break times (such as meal and tea breaks) are not included in the calculation of daily working hours.