Opportunity for mothers: up to 6 years of premium support

The maternity leave premium buyback program, which plays an important role in retirement planning for women in the workforce, is back on the agenda. According to the regulation of the Social Security Institution (SGK), female insured individuals can purchase the periods they were unable to work due to childbirth as premium days for retirement. Through this program, a total of 2,160 days, equivalent to approximately 6 years of premium support, can be achieved for up to three children. However, this buyback does not change the retirement age; it only completes missing premium days. Therefore, it offers a significant advantage especially for female insured individuals with insufficient premium days.

The calculation of maternity premium buyback is based on a maximum of 720 non-working days after childbirth for each child. Since this right can be used for up to three children, the total buyback period can reach 2,160 days. While the purchased periods are added to the required premium days for retirement, they do not cause any change in the retirement age. This creates an opportunity for early retirement for women who have completed the age requirement but lack premium days. The program aims to encourage women's participation in the workforce and compensate for career interruptions after childbirth.

The conditions required by the SGK for maternity premium buyback include that the woman must have started working as an insured person before the birth. Additionally, the child must have been born alive, and no premiums must have been paid on behalf of the insured during the period to be purchased. The child must also be alive during the purchased period. Days worked or for which premiums were paid after the birth are not included in the buyback calculation. These conditions are set to prevent abuse of the program and to support women who actually left work due to childbirth.

Applications can be made through the e-Government system or at SGK provincial directorates and social security centers. Public officials can apply via e-Government or by petition to the SGK General Directorate of Retirement Services, Department of Registration and Service for Public Officials. Since the SGK checks the insured woman's work and premium information from its own records during the application, no additional documents are required from the employer. This greatly simplifies the application process and prevents women from facing bureaucratic obstacles.

The maternity premium buyback provides a major advantage especially for female insured individuals who had to take a break from work due to childbirth and have missing premium days for retirement. Experts recommend that women planning for retirement check their insurance status and premium day counts before applying and obtain information from the SGK or experts to avoid loss of rights. This program aims to facilitate women's return to work after childbirth while protecting their retirement rights.