A New Era in Working Life Introduced by Law No. 7578:
Comprehensive Amendments to Maternity and Parental Leave Rights
The significant amendments directly affecting working life have entered into force through the Law No. 7578 on Amendments to the Social Services Law and Certain Other Laws (“Law”), published in the Official Gazette dated 01.05.2026 and numbered 33240. Among the newly introduced regulations, the extension of postnatal leave periods, the expansion of paternity leave rights, and the recognition of new leave entitlements for foster families are particularly noteworthy. The relevant amendments have resulted in simultaneous changes to various legislative instruments, primarily including the Labour Law No. 4857, the Civil Servants Law No. 657, and the Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law No. 5510.
- Maternity Leave Periods Have Been Re-Determined
Under the new regulation, the postnatal leave period for female employees has been increased from 8 weeks to 16 weeks. Accordingly, the total maternity leave period has been restructured as 24 weeks in total, consisting of 8 weeks prior to childbirth and 16 weeks following childbirth. In cases of multiple pregnancies, the previously existing additional 2-week extension applicable to the prenatal leave period has been preserved, thereby increasing the total leave entitlement to 26 weeks. Furthermore, whereas the former regulation permitted female employees, subject to a physician’s approval, to continue working until three weeks prior to childbirth, the new system revises this period to two weeks prior to childbirth. The existing practice whereby the periods worked are added to the postnatal leave period remains applicable.
Pursuant to the provisional article of the Law, employees who, as of 01.04.2026, had not yet completed the 24-week period calculated from the date of childbirth may also benefit from the additional 8-week leave entitlement, even where their previously applicable leave period had expired as of 01.05.2026, provided that they submit an application within 10 business days following the effective date of the Law.
- Extension of the Paternity Leave Period
Through the amendment introduced to Additional Article 2 of the Labour Law No. 4857, the paternity leave entitlement applicable to private sector employees has been increased from 5 days to 10 days.
By virtue of this amendment, the practice applicable to private sector employees has been aligned with the leave period currently granted to public sector employees.
- New Leave Arrangement for Employees Acting as Foster Families
The Law also introduces a new leave arrangement for employees acting as foster families. Accordingly, employees and civil servants providing foster care for one or more children shall, upon request, be granted 10 days of leave as of the date on which the child is entrusted to their care.
For employees falling within the scope of the Labour Law, the relevant leave has been regulated as unpaid leave.
Previous and Current Practice Regarding Leave Periods
| Regulation | Previous Period | New Period |
| Postnatal maternity leave | 8 weeks | 16 weeks |
| Total maternity leave | 16 weeks | 24 weeks |
| Total leave in multiple pregnancies | 18 weeks | 26 weeks |
| Period during which work may continue until childbirth | Until the last 3 weeks | Until the last 2 weeks |
| Paternity leave | 5 days | 10 days |
| Foster family leave | No regulation existed | 10 days |
Through Law No. 7578, significant expansions of social rights in favour of employees have been introduced with the aim of protecting family life and supporting childcare processes. In particular, the extension of maternity leave constitutes a substantial development in terms of both supporting the postnatal recovery period and addressing caregiving needs during early childhood, thereby contributing to the establishment of a healthier balance between professional and family life.
It should be particularly emphasized that the implementation of these amendments is also likely to give rise to new discussions regarding human resources planning and employment processes from the perspective of employers. In particular, it is anticipated that concerns relating to prolonged absences from work may indirectly affect the employment of female employees in certain sectors, and that more cautious or disadvantageous approaches toward female candidates may emerge during recruitment processes.
In our opinion, the practical implications of this regulation should be carefully monitored, particularly regarding maintaining the delicate balance between the protection of women in working life and the sustainability of female employment.
The relevant Law may be accessed through the following link:
(Only available in Turkish)
https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2026/05/20260501-1.htm
Çelikbaş Law Office