Early retirement for police officers: SGK announces 'actual service period increase'

Rumors that the actual length of service increase has been abolished, a recent trend among police officers, have caused concern. However, the Social Security Institution ( SGK ) has not issued any official statement on the matter. The actual length of service increase remains in effect for public personnel, especially police officers, who work in risky and challenging conditions due to their duties.

In his column, "Police Officers' Early Retirement Opportunity," Noyan Doğan discussed how police officers continue to benefit from this right, the Social Security Institution's (SGK) auditing process on this issue, and addressed frequently asked questions about the 2026-2027 salary raises and excessive premium payments for retired civil servants.

Doğan's article is as follows:

Question: I'm a police officer. I've been on the job for nine years. Our retirement procedures are different. We benefit from the actual service time increase. While talking among friends, some said the actual service time increase had been lifted. The Social Security Institution made such a statement. Is there such a thing? Has our actual service time increase been lifted, or are we still eligible? Tufan K.

Answer: The actual service time increase has not been eliminated. Specifically for police officers, a 90-day actual service time increase is added for each full year of service they complete. Police officers can include this time in their retirement bonus calculation. This also applies to all higher-ranking police officers. The Social Security Institution (SGK) has issued a statement on this matter. Provided that their principal status is approved, police officers and higher-ranking police officers, including any time spent as a candidate, will be eligible for a 90-day actual service time increase for every 360 days of service. In other words, the actual service increase is 90 days; working 12 months is considered 15 months of service, increasing the number of premium days and granting them the opportunity to retire early.

Regarding the other issue, the Social Security Institution (SGK) has not issued a statement regarding the elimination of the actual service period increase. However, for an employee to be considered for the actual service period increase, the employee must be actively working in jobs that cause attrition and be exposed to the risks of such jobs, as well as in workplaces covered by the law, in order to be eligible for early retirement. The SGK is conducting inspections of workplaces and has determined that employees in workplaces covered by the actual service period increase are being notified as if they are entitled to attrition. In other words, occupations that should not have benefited from the actual service period increase have either benefited from this benefit or are attempting to do so. The SGK has corrected this error. Otherwise, there is no change for employees in occupations that should have benefited from the actual service period increase.

'Civil Servant Retirees Will Receive Inflation Difference'

Question: I am a retired civil servant. If an inflation difference arises in the collective bargaining agreement signed for 2026-2027, will the rate in the agreement be deducted from the inflation difference and added to the 6-month rate for that period (January-July)? Tuncay T.

Answer: The 8th Term Collective Agreement regarding salary increases and social rights covering the 2026-2027 period has been published. Retired civil servants will receive their salaries with an 11 percent increase for the January-June period of 2026, a 7 percent increase for the July-December period of 2026, a 5 percent increase for the January-June period of 2027, and a 4 percent increase for the July-December period. The collective agreement also included the inflation difference. Accordingly, if the June-December 2025 inflation exceeds 5 percent, the January-June 2026 inflation exceeds 11 percent, the June-December 2026 inflation exceeds 7 percent, the January-June 2027 inflation exceeds 5 percent, and the June-December 2027 inflation exceeds 4 percent, the difference will be paid to civil servants and retirees as the inflation difference. Accordingly, whatever the inflation difference is, it will be added to their salaries. For example, the salary increase was 11 percent and the inflation difference was 4 percent. Your salary will be increased by 15 percent."

'YOU CAN GET YOUR EXCESS PREMIUMS REFUNDED'

Question: I'll be retiring at the end of the year. During my time working, I was insured by paying premiums from four different companies. The premiums from two of them were paid at the highest rate. Can I get back the excess premiums I paid when I retire? Mert Z.

Answer: If an employee has made a payment to the Social Security Institution (SGK) on behalf of an employee exceeding the upper limit for the earnings required for insurance premiums, the excess amount can be refunded. Premiums paid by high-earners are also subject to a ceiling, and a refund can be requested for the portion exceeding the ceiling. Similarly, if premiums paid by employees working at multiple jobs exceed the ceiling, the excess amount can be refunded from the SGK. To do this, first submit a retirement petition and retire. Then, apply to the SGK to have your overpaid premiums calculated and request a refund. You can also receive a refund for the premiums deducted for disability, old age, and death, which fall under the employee's share.

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