Turkish Labor Law
Since the start of the pandemic, the vaccination process has been managed within the scope of the “Covid-19 Vaccine National Implementation Strategy” determined by the Ministry of Health with the recommendation of the Scientific Committee. It is aimed that the vaccination process, which primarily covers health workers and those over a certain age, reaches every segment of the society gradually.
On June 14, 2021, the Ministry of Health announced that all employees registered with SGK can be vaccinated. In order to be vaccinated, it is necessary to make an appointment via e-Nabiz, MHRS or Alo 182.
The next questions then arises: can a worker with a vaccination appointment be considered on leave?
There is no official statement on this matter yet. However, the fact that vaccination can be done free of charge in every hospital, regardless of private-state difference, and the appointment is made from the desired hospital makes things easier.
On the other hand, employers are also expected to take supportive steps to vaccinate their employees in order to protect them against the infection and spread. The fact that vaccination is a very fast and practical process does not pose a major obstacle to work life.
For vaccination, it might be useful to take administrative leave – a special leave given to the employee at the initiative of the employer in private sectors. This leave is a type of paid leave that is not included in the law or employment contracts.
