Turkish employment law offers a well-defined legal framework for workplace rights and obligations. Recent reforms prompted by inflation and changing labor expectations have made employers operating in Turkey – especially in white-collar sectors – alert to both longstanding statutes and current shifts. This article distills the essence of Turkey’s 2025 employment law.
What employers must know about Turkish employment law in 2025
1. Contractual foundations:
Turkish employment law favors indefinite (open-ended) employment contracts as the standard. Fixed-term contracts are allowed only if a clear, objective reason exists – such as a project, seasonal work, or temporary replacement. If renewed repeatedly without such justification, the law presumes the arrangement was indefinite from the outset.
Contracts over one year must be in writing. In practice, all contracts should be. Even if informal, employers must provide a written summary of key terms (e.g., job title, wages, and hours) within two months of hire. This written record protects both parties and avoids disputes.
Probation periods may last up to 2 months (4 months if extended by collective bargaining). During this time, either party may terminate the contract without notice or penalty.
2. Termination: notice, cause, and consequences
The second element to be aware of is the careful adherence to notice and justification rules when it comes to the termination of an indefinite contract demands
- Notice periods, tied to tenure, range from 2 to 8 weeks.
- Pay in lieu of notice is permitted.
- During notice, employees have the legal right to take job search leave for 2 hours each day.
Employers with 30+ staff dismissing a worker with at least 6 months’ service must provide a valid business-related reason, such as underperformance or redundancy. The dismissal must be documented in writing. Employees may challenge unjust terminations, and courts often award 4 to 8 months’ salary as compensation for wrongful dismissal.
Severance pay applies when an employer dismisses an employee without serious misconduct, provided the employee has completed at least one year of service. The amount is one month’s gross salary per year of service, capped annually. As of January 2025, the cap is TL 46,655.43 per year.
Immediate termination for “just cause” (e.g., theft, assault, prolonged absenteeism) requires no notice or severance and must rely on solid evidence.
Employees may also resign with or without notice. If the resignation is for just cause (e.g., unpaid wages, health risk), they may leave immediately and still claim severance.
3. Working hours and compensation
The legal maximum workweek is 45 hours, usually spread across 5 or 6 days. Overtime, defined as any hours beyond that, must be paid at 150% of the regular rate, or converted into compensatory time off (1.5 hours per overtime hour). Annual overtime is capped at 270 hours.
Additionally, the national minimum wage, adjusted for inflation, rose to TRY 22,104 gross/month in 2025. All full-time employees must receive at least this amount. Underground miners receive double the minimum wage by law.
4. Leave and benefits
Turkish employment law prescribes a full menu of paid and unpaid leaves:
- Annual leave (after 1 year): 14 days (1–5 years), 20 days (6–14 years), 26 days (15+ years). Employees under 18 or over 50 get at least 20 days.
- Public holidays: About 15 per year, fully paid.
- Sick leave: Covered by social security from the third day.
- Maternity leave: 16 weeks paid via social security (8 before + 8 after birth).
- Paternity leave: 5 days paid.
- Special leave: Marriage, bereavement, and adoption each grant 3 paid days. Parents of disabled children may receive 10 paid days/year.
Unpaid leave includes up to 6 months post-maternity and 4 days for travel before/after annual leave.
5. Social security obligations
All employees must be registered with SGK, Turkey’s social security authority. Employers contribute around 22.5% of the employee’s wage (including 2.25% for short-term insurance and 2% for unemployment insurance). Employees contribute about 14% plus 1% to unemployment.
These funds support healthcare, pensions, maternity, disability, and unemployment insurance. Failure to enroll or contribute draws stiff penalties.
6. Workplace safety and equal treatment
Under Employment Law No. 6331, employers must assess and manage health and safety risks. Required measures include safety equipment, training, and emergency protocols – even in low-risk sectors. Negligence can result in liability for workplace accidents.
Discrimination based on race, gender, religion, disability, or similar grounds is not allowed at any stage of the employment lifecycle. Employers must offer equal pay for equal work and ensure fair treatment of part-time or fixed-term staff. Discrimination may trigger compensation claims of at least 4 months’ wages, plus administrative fines.
Finally, “Mobbing” or psychological harassment is recognized by Turkish courts. If proven, employees may resign with cause and seek damages.
Additional employment law considerations for employers in Turkey
1. Mandatory mediation before lawsuits
All employment disputes in Turkey must undergo mandatory mediation before a court will hear the case. This applies to claims of unfair dismissal, severance, or wage disputes. Employers should participate in this pre-litigation step and document it accordingly.
2. Documentation in termination
While the article notes that dismissal must be in writing, the original research stresses that employers must deliver a signed termination notice either directly, via notary or registered mail. Termination letters should state the specific grounds in detail, especially when performance or conduct is the cause. Employers must also allow the employee to respond before making a final decision in such cases.
3. Protected grounds for dismissal
The law prohibits dismissal based on certain grounds, including pregnancy, maternity leave, union activity, or discrimination. Terminations on these grounds are automatically void and expose employers to both reinstatement orders and compensation penalties. These protections should be explicitly mentioned as high-risk areas for liability.
4. Union-related protections
If dismissal stems from union membership or activity, the company must pay separate union compensation in addition to reinstatement or regular dismissal damages. Courts often treat these cases with heightened scrutiny.
5. Fixed-term contract expiry and severance
If a fixed-term contract expires naturally and isn’t renewed, severance is not owed. However, if terminated prematurely (without just cause), the employee can claim either the unserved balance of the term or damages. The original summary did not reflect this nuance.
6. Mass layoffs (collective dismissals)
Larger employers conducting mass terminations must follow additional formalities: notifying the regional employment authority and consulting with employee representatives. Failure to comply may void dismissals or lead to administrative penalties.
7. Remote work regulations
Finally, the Turkish employment law explicitly governs remote work. A written agreement requires us to outline conditions such as tools, expense reimbursements, and working hours. Remote workers enjoy the same rights as on-site employees, including overtime and leave.
Final note:
In short, employers in Turkey face a system that heavily safeguards employees’ rights – especially against arbitrary dismissal, unfair treatment, or underpayment. While compliance may seem demanding, a well-documented and fair employment practice offers both legal protection and workplace stability.
Are You Hiring in Turkey?
Partner with Gini Talent for compliant, risk-free recruitment aligned with the latest 2025 labor laws.
