Occupational social security schemes (Chapter 2 of Directive 2006/54)

• Author: Kadriye Bakirci
• Pages: 72-74

72

6 Occupational social security schemes (Chapter 2 of Directive 20 06/54)

6.1 General (legal) context

6.1.1 Surveys and reports on the practical difficulties linked to occupational and/or

statutory social security issues

In Turkey, there is a clear distinction between statutory pension schemes and occupational

pension schemes. More precisely, the g eneral social insurance scheme and the health

insurance scheme are considered to be statutory, whereas occup ational pension schemes

for workers in the public and privat e sector, the voluntary provident fund schemes and

other similar pension schemes fall under the category of o ccupational pension schemes.

6.1.2 Other issues related to gender equality and social security

Under all occupational pension schemes, men and women enjoy equal treatment as

provided in the HREIA (Article 5).

6.1.3 Political and societal debate and pending legislative p roposals

There is neither any debate nor legislative proposals on this topic.

6.2 Direct and indirect discrimination

The HREIA prohibits direct and indirect sex discrimination in all matters relating to social

security, which would include these matters (Article 2).

6.3 Personal scope

In addition to the public and compulsory (statutory) social security system, there are

additional occupational social security funds, such as the Armed Forces Assistance Fund

(OYAK);209 the Police Assistance Fund (POLSAN),210 the Primary School Teachers

Assistance Fund (ILKSAN),211 the Central Bank P ersonnel Social Security and Assistance

Foundation,212 the State-Owned Coal Mining Enterprise Employees’ Accumulation and

Assistance Fund (Eregli Komur Havzasi Amelebirligi Biriktirme ve Yardimlasma Sandigi);213

and the Turk T elekom Accumulation and Assistance Fund.214 Financial sector institutions,

such as banks, insurance companies, reinsurance companies, the stock exchange, and

chambers of commerce assistanc e funds (Social Insurance and General Health Insuran ce

Act provisi onal Ar ticle 20 ) provide additional social security services through the

foundations they have established. Currently, there are 38 such in stitutions.215

The following special non-contributory schemes are in place for specific professional

groups:

209 Act on the Armed Forces Assistance Fund (Ordu Yardimlaşma Kurumu Kanunu), No. 205, Official Journal,

9.1.1961, No. 10702.

210 Act on Law Enforcement Agency (Emniyet Teşkilat Kanunu), No. 3201, Official Journal 12.6.1937, No.

3629.

211 Act on the Primary School Teachers Assistance Fund (Hususi İdarelerden Maaş Alan İlkokul Öğretmenlerinin

Kadrolarina, Terfi, Taltif ve Cezalandirilmalarina ve Bu Öğretmenler İçin Teşkil Edilecek Sağlik ve İçtimai

Yardim Sandiği İle Yapi Sandiğina ve Öğretmenlerin Alacaklarina Dair Kanun), No. 4357, Official Journal

19.1.1943, No. 5308; Membership of this fund is voluntary.

212 Central Bank of Turkey Act (Türkiye Cumhuriyet Merkez Bankasi Kanunu), No. 1211, Official Journal

26.1.1970, No. 13409.

213 Act on the State-Owned Coal Mining Enterprise Employees’ Fund (Ereğli Havzai Fahmiyesi Maden

Amelesinin Hukukuna Müteallik Kanun), No. 151, (8 Muharrem 1340 - 10 Eylül 1337).

214 Act on Turk Telekom Accumulation and Assistance Fund (Posta, Telgraf ve Telefon İdaresinin Biriktirme ve

Yardım Sandığı Hakkında Kanun), No. 4157, Official Journal 26.12.1941, No. 4994

215 Danişoğlu, E. (2002), ‘The Need for Reform in Social Security System’ (Sosyal Güvenlik Sisteminde

Yenilenme İhtiyacı); http://www.kalkinma.gov.tr/Documents/danisoge.pdf.