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Türkiye’s Fight Against COVID-19 Pandemic

4.1. Measures Taken regarding Work Life in Public Sector

According to the data announced by the Strategy and Budget Directorate
of the Presidency, there are 4,569,916 permanent and contract employees in
Türkiye. Therefore, it not only creates employment to carry out its activities; it
also directs the private sector with the policies it applies to its employees.

In this context, Türkiye has introduced new regulations for the working life
of approximately 4 and a half million people by taking measures to ban public
officials from travelling abroad and adopt flexible working arrangements in order
to support the employees at this time. It has also taken the necessary measures
in terms of introducing travel restrictions, restricting leaves and resignations as
well as recruiting new personnel. By changing the working procedure, it has
been ensured that the social distance and isolation rules are observed as much as
possible. In addition, it has been decided that public officials, who were abroad,
would be deemed to be on administrative leave for 14 days starting from the
date of their arrival in Türkiye, that pregnant women, women on maternity
leave, disabled staff, 60-year-old and older employees and the disadvantaged
groups determined by the Ministry of Health besides the executives would be
deemed to be on administrative leave for 14 days as of March 16, 2020, that the
female employees, who have to look after their children going to preschool and
elementary school, would be allowed to be on leave and that those who cannot
take annual leave would be entitled to be on compassionate leave.

Accordingly, it has been ruled that employees working at public institutions
and organizations could benefit from flexible working methods such as
alternative working and remote working provided that public services are not
interrupted and there is a minimum number of personnel at the workplace. In
this context, the employees, who worked by taking turns, were deemed to be
on administrative leave when they were not physically present at the office.
4.2. Measures Taken regarding Work Life in Private Sector

The workforce has been negatively affected by the pandemic and measures
taken against it in almost every sector all over the world. For this reason, just
as in other countries, regulations have been made to help the employees and
enterprises in Türkiye.

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