EOR Services
TURKIYE

Indefinite-termThe default and most protective form. Full severance/notice/unfair-dismissal protections apply once qualifying conditions are met.Fixed-term Only lawful where there is an objective justification (e.g., a defined project, seasonal work, or a temporary replacement) — not simply employer preference. Without objective justification, or where successive fixed-term contracts are used without one, the relationship is deemed indefinite by law.Employers sometimes try to avoid severance/notice liability by using repeated fixed-term contracts. Turkish courts routinely reclassify these as indefinite-term employment, triggering full back-dated protections — this is one of the most common and costly disputes employers face.

A probation period is not mandatory, but commonly used and must be stated explicitly in the written contract before or at the start of employment — it cannot be added retroactively or agreed verbally. Maximum 2 months, extendable to 4 months by collective agreement or by the parties' agreement. During probation, either party may terminate without notice and without severance obligation. If no probation clause exists, the employee has full termination protections (notice, severance, unfair-dismissal rules) from day one.

Standard maximum: 45 hours/week (no fixed daily standard is mandated as long as the weekly cap and rest-period rules are respected), commonly spread across six days, with a general daily cap of 11 hours.Overtime: Any work beyond 45 hours/week is overtime, compensated at a minimum of 150% (1.5×) of the normal hourly wage. Employees may instead be given compensatory time off (1.5 hours off per overtime hour), which must be used within 6 months.Annual overtime cap: 270 hours per employee.

Annual (paid) leaveEmployees become eligible after one full year of service (probation period counts toward this). Minimum annual entitlement, based on length of service:1 - 5 years: 14 days (per year)5-15 years: 20 days (per year)Over 15 years: 26 days (per year)Employees under 18 or over 50: At least 20 days (per year), regardless of tenureLeave cannot be waived or paid out in lieu while employment continues (unused leave can generally be carried forward). Any accrued but unused leave must be paid out on termination, regardless of who initiated it or why.Public holidaysEmployees are entitled to 9 paid public holidays per year (some spanning multiple days). Working on a public holiday requires the employee's consent and attracts additional pay unless otherwise compensated with time off.Sick leaveStatutory sick pay (funded via SGK, initially advanced by the employer and reclaimed) equals roughly two-thirds to one-half of daily gross wage depending on the nature of the illness/injury. A medical report is required; illnesses over 10 days require a panel report.Other statutory leaveMaternity leave, nursing breaks, bereavement leave, and job-seeking leave during a notice period are all separately regulated.

Grounds for terminationJust cause (haklı neden): Serious misconduct, breach of trust, or similarly severe grounds — allows immediate termination with no notice and no severance, but the employer carries the burden of proving the misconduct and must act within strict time limits (generally within 6 working days of becoming aware).Valid reason (geçerli neden): Legitimate business, operational, or performance-related grounds. Requires notice and, if qualifying conditions are met, severance. At workplaces with 30 or more employees, employees with at least 6 months' service benefit from job security provisions — the employer must show a valid reason in writing, and the employee can challenge the dismissal through mandatory mediation and, if unresolved, labor court.Mutual agreement: Cleanest route when achievable; typically involves a negotiated settlement.Notice periodStatutory minimums based on length of service:Under 6 months: 2 weeks6 - 18 months: 4 weeks18-36 months: 6 weeksOver 3 years: 8 weeksEither party may end the contract without observing notice by paying notice pay (ihbar tazminatı) in lieu — calculated as gross salary × notice period. During the notice period, employees are entitled to paid job-seeking leave (time off to look for new work).Severance payOwed when: the employer terminates without just cause, the employee resigns for employer misconduct, the employee resigns for military service/retirement/marriage (within specified windows), or the employee dies. Not owed for employee resignation without qualifying grounds, or for just-cause dismissal. Employees need at least one year of continuous service to qualify.Calculation: 30 days' gross salary for each full year of service (pro-rated for partial years), based on the employee's final gross wage including certain regular benefits/premiums.