The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has sent an opinion letter numbered 38611 and dated 17.09.2021 to The Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey regarding the COVID-19 measures that can be taken in workplaces.

In this opinion letter, the below points have been stated:

1. Workplaces/employers would need to inform employees about the health and safety measures in workplaces.
2. Employers would need to inform the employees in written form for those who have not completed their COVID-19 vaccination.
3. Employers would need to inform the employees, who do not complete the vaccination, about the results that would be taken in the workplace based on the Labor Law and Social Security Legislation.

Social Security Institution has published a General Instruction letter numbered 30785909 and dated 08.09.2021 to postpone the obligations due to the flood & fire disasters.

You can find the details of that General Letter below:

• For Düzce province, between 06.07.2021 - 31.07.2021
• For Rize province, between 14.07.2021 - 31.07.2021,
• For Artvin province, between 22.07.2021 - 31.07.2021 (since 31.07.2021 is the weekend, the date is 02.08.2021, included)
• For Antalya, Mersin, and Osmaniye provinces, between 28.07.2021 - 26.08.2021 (included)
• For Adana and Muğla provinces, between 29.07.2021 - 26.08.2021 (included)
• For Muğla province Menteşe region, between 03.08.2021 - 26.08.2021 (included)
• For Yatağan region, between 06.08.2021 -26.08.2021 (included)

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has published a Communiqué on 02.09.2021 with regards to the measures about COVID-19 on workplaces.

Per that Communiqué;

The employers have responsibility for the health and safety regulations & measures in workplaces. Accordingly, they would need to notify the unvaccinated or incomplete vaccinated employees in writing about the COVID-19 vaccines.

If the employees are still unvaccinated after the notification and in case being diagnosed by COVID-19, the employer would also need to notify the employees with regards to the possible results per the Labor Law and Social Security Law.

In addition, as of 6 Sep 2021, the employers will be able to request PCR tests once a week from the unvaccinated employees and they would need to keep the results on their reports for the necessary procedures.

Social Security Institution has published a General Instruction letter (dated 20.08.2021 and numbered 29840888) to postpone the obligations due to the flood disaster in Kastamonu province; Abana, Azdavay, Bozkurt, Çatalzeytin, Devrekani, İnebolu, Küre, Pınarbaşı and Şenpazar, in Sinop province; Merkez, Ayancık, Türkeli, Gerze, Boyabat, and Erfelek regions and in Bartın province; Ulus region.

You can find below the details of the Instruction Letter of SSI:

The statements would be applicable for the workplaces which have employees under Law 5510 - 4/a status or the self-employed individuals within the regions that were affected by the flood which are Kastamonu province Abana, Azdavay, Bozkurt, Çatalzeytin, Devrekani, İnebolu, Küre, Pınarbaşı and Şenpazar, Sinop province Merkez, Ayancık, Türkeli, Gerze, Boyabat and Erfelek, Bartın province Ulus regions.

a) All declarations that need to be done within the period between 11.08.2021 and 31.08.2021 (included) can be made until 27.09.2021, and no administrative fine would be applied per Article 102 of Law No. 5510.

b) The premium payments with the deadlines before 11.08.2021 and the premium payments related to 2021 July, August, September, October, and December can be done until 31.01.2022 without any late payment interest.