Turkey bans layoffs, launches temporary wage support scheme in earthquake zones; check details
On February 7, the Turkish Parliament imposed the state of emergency for three months, after a request by President Tayyip Erdogan. The government also offered salary support and imposed a layoff ban in 2020 in an attempt to mitigate the economic blow from COVID-19.
FollowTurkey has banned layoffs in 10 cities and launched a temporary wage support scheme on Wednesday (February 22) to protect workers and businesses from the financial impact of the massive earthquakes that hit the south of the country earlier this month.
The move comes as a part of the Turkish government's steps to minimise the economic impact of Turkey's worst earthquake in modern history that left tens of thousands dead.
It is reportedly said that the employers whose workplaces were "heavily or moderately damaged" would benefit from support to partially cover wages of workers whose hours had been cut. An official gazette said a ban on layoffs was also introduced in 10 earthquake-hit provinces covered by a state of emergency.
On February 7, the Turkish Parliament imposed the state of emergency for three months, after a request by President Tayyip Erdogan. The government also offered salary support and imposed a layoff ban in 2020 in an attempt to mitigate the economic blow from COVID-19.
Meanwhile, business groups and economists said the earthquake could cost Ankara up to $100 billion to rebuild housing and infrastructure, and shave one to two percentage points off economic growth this year.
Rescuers are once again searching for people trapped under rubble in Turkey after another earthquake hit the country, killing at least six people. A 6.4 magnitude tremor struck near the city of Antakya near the border with Syria, where massive quakes devastated both countries on February 6.
The earlier earthquakes have killed over 44,000 people in Turkey and Syria with tens of thousands more left homeless. Buildings weakened by those tremors collapsed in both countries on Monday.
