Minister: Turkey to Ban Lay-Offs for Three Months Due to Pandemic

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Turkey would ban employers from firing their employees for three months due to the coronavirus pandemic, Minister of Treasury and Finance Berat Albayrak announced yesterday (April 12).

He also said in a video statement that employees who have been put on an unpaid leave and would not benefit from the short-term allowance would be paid a salary of 1,170 lira (~172 US dollars), which amounts slightly more than half of the minimum salary.

The government previously announced that for three months, it would pay 60% of the staff salaries of firms forced out of business due to a Force Majeure, such as the pandemic.

With this short-term employment allowance, the government said it would also make direct transfers, within the range of 1,752 Turkish liras (~260 dollars) to 4,381 liras (~650 dollars), to employees' bank accounts.

It will also pay the salaries of personnel forced to take unpaid leave due to the outbreak.

The minister also called on private banks to do more to help people, saying, "While our state banks are standing by our citizens with all the resources they have, we are utterly saddened by the attitude of the privately held banks. I, once again, invite private banks to be a part of our unity and solidarity during these times with their attitude." (RT/VK)