Turkish Labor Law
During the pandemic, all learning was carried out remotely and all practical learning practices such as internships and vocational training were interrupted until September 21st.
Certain education institutions such as Anadolu technical and vocational high schools require their students to complete vocational skills training in workplaces in order to graduate. The letter of the Ministry of Education dated 25 October 2020, introduced a new change regarding these compulsory high school internships in the 2020-2021 academic year. According to the article, as of September 28, it was deemed appropriate to start the internship and vocational skills training practices of Anadolu technical and vocational high schools, in the workplaces that took the necessary measures against the epidemic, in line with the request of the workplace and the consent of the students. It was decided that students who could not be sent to workplaces should have their vocational skills training in schools.
It should also be noted that it is also possible to continue internships online if the business permits.However, the consent of the student is also required for Anadolu vocational and technical high school students to be physically present in enterprises in order to complete their internship or vocational skills training.
How Will School Notifications Be?
The schools are responsible to notify the interns to the Social Security Institution regarding work accidents and occupational diseases. The businesses that provide compulsory internships do not have the responsibility of processing the insurance declarations of the interns. For this reason, as of September 21, 2020, the insurance notification of the students who have compulsory internships will be reported to the Institution as “0” by their schools. Processing notifications must continue in this manner until the start of face-to-face training.
The Status of Businesses Requiring to Employ Interns
Postponing face-to-face internships is not a regulation that eliminates the obligation of businesses to employ interns. Businesses will be able to continue their professional skills training / internship activities face-to-face with consenting students or online in line with their facilities.
Accordingly, businesses can sign vocational training contracts with schools-students. As soon as face-to-face education resumes, students whose contracts are signed can continue their activities without seeking consent.
