Extension of Maternity Leave Periods under Circular No. 2026/13

With the Circular dated 08.05.2026 and numbered 2026/13 issued by the Social Security Institution (“SSI”), the implementation of temporary incapacity benefits under maternity insurance within the scope of the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510 has been updated.

The aforementioned amendments have been introduced in line with Law No. 7578, which entered into force on 01.05.2026. These regulations include new provisions that are particularly significant for employers and employees, especially with respect to the extension of postnatal rest periods and the transitional rules applicable to existing medical reports.

1. Postnatal Maternity Period Extended from 8 Weeks to 16 Weeks

With the Circular, the postnatal rest period forming the basis of the temporary incapacity benefit payable in cases of maternity has been significantly extended.

Accordingly:

  • The prenatal leave period shall be 8 weeks
  • The postnatal leave period shall be 16 weeks
  • In cases of multiple pregnancy, an additional 2 weeks shall be added to the prenatal leave period

Thus, the total maternity leave period has effectively been extended to:

  • 24 weeks for singleton pregnancies
  • 26 weeks for multiple pregnancies

2. Transitional Provision Introduced for Existing Medical Reports

One of the most notable amendments introduced by the Circular concerns the provisions governing the transitional process applicable to existing medical reports.

a) Insured Employees Whose Postnatal Rest Period Had Commenced but Had Not Yet Expired

For insured employees whose postnatal rest period had not yet expired as of May 2026, the end dates of their medical reports shall automatically be extended by 8 weeks (56 days) without the need for any separate application. No additional application by either the insured employee or the employer shall be required.

b) Insured Employees Whose Postnatal Rest Period Had Expired Prior to May 2026

Insured employees falling within the scope of Article 4/1-(a) who had become entitled to temporary incapacity benefits under maternity insurance and who have taken maternity leave pursuant to the amendments introduced by Law No. 7578 shall be entitled to receive temporary incapacity benefits under maternity insurance for the days on which they did not work, up to a maximum period of 8 weeks.

** In order to benefit from the additional 8-week period, the relevant insured employee must have applied to the relevant institution within 10 business days pursuant to Provisional Article 1 of Law No. 7578 and must be actually utilizing the maternity leave in practice.

3. Technical Amendments to Eligibility Conditions and Calculation Criteria

Within the scope of the Circular, various periods and calculation criteria set forth under the previous SSI Circular No. 2016/21 have also been revised.

In this respect:

  • In singleton pregnancies, although no amendment has been made to the 8-week prenatal maternity leave period, the postnatal maternity leave period has been extended from 8 weeks to 16 weeks. Accordingly, the total maternity leave period has increased from 16 weeks to 24 weeks.
  • In multiple pregnancies, the phrase “the first 10-week period prior to birth” has been removed from the text of the relevant provision, and an additional 2 weeks shall be added to the 8-week prenatal leave period.
  • In cases of multiple pregnancy, the total maternity leave period has been extended from 18 weeks to 26 weeks.
  • The period during which an insured female employee may continue working, upon her request and subject to physician approval, until “3 weeks before childbirth” has been amended to “2 weeks before childbirth.”
  • The application regarding temporary incapacity benefits for births occurring “more than 3 weeks later” than the expected date of delivery has been revised to apply to births occurring “more than 2 weeks later.”
  • In cases where an insured employee who obtained a medical report stating that she “may continue working until 3 weeks before childbirth” during the period when 8 weeks remained before delivery gives birth prematurely, the applicable periods have been revised on the basis of the new “2-week” rule. The existing practice concerning the preservation of unused prenatal leave periods in cases of premature birth shall continue to apply.

4. Assessment from the Employers’ Perspective

The new regulation will have significant implications particularly with respect to human resources and payroll processes. Employers will need to reassess:

  • the extended postnatal leave periods
  • SSI medical report procedures
  • payroll and wage planning
  • the potential need for temporary replacement personnel
  • return-to-work processes

Particular attention should be paid to system updates and SSI records for employees who had active maternity medical reports as of 01.05.2026.

Conclusion

With Circular No. 2026/13, the postnatal leave period under maternity insurance has been significantly extended, thereby broadening social security protection in favor of working mothers. Amendments made to the institutional systems and implementation procedures have also facilitated insured employees’ access to the rights introduced under the new regulation.

For insured employees within the scope of Article 4/1-(a), whose medical leave period expired prior to 01.05.2026 but who had become entitled to temporary incapacity benefits under maternity insurance and who are utilizing maternity leave pursuant to Law No. 7578, the relevant medical report periods shall be generated automatically by the system upon notification by the employer to the SSI.

In this context, following the insured employee’s application to the employer, an application must be submitted to the SSI through the menu titled “Law No. 7578 – 8-Week Extension Application.” Entering the insured employee’s identification number and the application date through the relevant menu shall be sufficient.

Following the SSI’s review and confirmation of eligibility, an 8-week maternity medical leave report shall be generated electronically by the SSI system on behalf of the insured employee, effective from the application date. Other than submitting the application, no further action is required from the employer, and insured employees are not required to make any separate application to healthcare providers or to the Social Security Institution.