Nursing leave and part-time work: your rights when you return to work

Rules can change; we describe the situation as of the date this article was prepared (October 2026). Going back to work after maternity leave can bring excitement and worry together. If you are nursing, or simply want more time with your baby, the law gives you a few options.

Nursing leave

Nursing leave is paid time you use during the working day while you are breastfeeding. Employees and civil servants are treated differently.

• Employees (Labour Law No. 4857, art. 74): a total of 1.5 hours a day for a child under one year. It counts as working time, so your pay is not reduced.
• Female civil servants (Law No. 657, art. 104/D): 3 hours a day for the first 6 months after maternity leave ends, then 1.5 hours a day for the second 6 months.

In both groups you decide how to use these hours. You can add them to the start or end of the day, split them or take them in one block.

Half-time work

When maternity leave ends, you may work half of your usual working time for a while if you wish. Nursing leave is not applied on top of this.

• Civil servants (art. 104/F): 2 months after a first birth, 4 months after a second, 6 months after later births. One month is added for multiples; for a child with a disability the period is 12 months.
• Employees: 60 days after a first birth, 120 days after a second, 180 days after later births. 30 days are added for multiples; for a child with a disability it is 360 days.

How pay is calculated in this period and other details can vary between institutions. Get exact information from your employer.

An extra option for civil servants

After maternity leave or the half-time period ends, female civil servants may ask to reduce weekly working time by half until the child reaches compulsory school age. Pay and benefits are then reduced by half, and no nursing leave is granted. Ask your personnel unit about the conditions and the rules for returning to full time.

Unpaid leave

• Employees: up to 6 months of unpaid leave after the 24 weeks of maternity leave, if you wish.
• Civil servants: up to 24 months of unpaid leave after maternity leave or half-time work ends (art. 108/B).

No salary is paid in these periods. It is wise to find out beforehand how this affects your insurance and retirement.

Points that are often confused

For civil servants nursing leave is 3 hours a day in the first 6 months and 1.5 hours in the next 6; for employees it is 1.5 hours a day in total. People often mix up the figures of these two groups. For employees, nursing leave counts as working time, so pay is not cut. During half-time work, nursing leave is not used on top; the two do not apply together. The legal provision your rights rest on also differs between civil servants and employees. Be clear about which group you belong to and ask your questions accordingly. Asking for a calm, suitable space to nurse at work is also a reasonable request.

What you can do

1. Before leave ends, think about which option suits you: nursing leave, half-time work or unpaid leave.
2. Tell your employer or institution in writing, before your leave ends.
3. Document the birth order and, if relevant, your child’s condition.
4. Plan nursing-leave hours around your workplace routine; you may ask for a calm space to nurse or pump.
5. Keep all correspondence.

Every feeding journey is different; whether you breastfeed or use formula, these rights exist to make your working life workable for you.

Where to check current rules

• mevzuat.gov.tr: Law No. 4857 art. 74 and Law No. 657 art. 104, additional art. 43, art. 108
• Official Gazette: the Regulation on Working Conditions of Pregnant or Breastfeeding Women
• Your workplace HR or personnel unit
• For public employees, your institution’s current circulars and notices

This article is for general information; your employer’s and institution’s current practice is what counts for your case.