Employee Rights and Employer Obligations in Türkiye: An Up-to-Date Guide to the Labour Law

With frequently changing economic conditions and regulatory updates, working life in Türkiye has become more complex than ever for both employees and employers. Regular updates to the minimum wage and the severance pay ceiling make it essential to stay current on employment law.

In this guide, we summarize the key topics of employee rights, employer obligations and the Labour Law, together with the current figures for 2026, in a clear way for both employees and HR professionals.

Basic Employee Rights Under the Labour Law

Working Hours and Rest Rights

Under Turkish Labour Law No. 4857, the general rule is that weekly working time may not exceed 45 hours. Although this time can be distributed differently across the days of the week, daily working time may not exceed 11 hours. Work exceeding 45 hours per week counts as overtime and must be paid with a premium of at least 50%.

Employees also have the following rights:

• Breaks: 15 minutes for work of 4 hours or less, half an hour for work of more than 4 and up to 7.5 hours, and 1 hour for work of more than 7.5 hours.

• Weekly rest: At least 24 hours of uninterrupted rest per week.

• Paid annual leave: 14 days for 1 to 5 years of service, 20 days for more than 5 and less than 15 years, and 26 days for 15 years or more. Employees aged 18 or under and 50 or over are entitled to at least 20 days of annual leave.

Wages, Minimum Wage and the Principle of Equal Treatment

An employee’s most basic right is to receive their wages in full and on time. For 2026, the minimum wage is 33,030 TL gross and 28,075.50 TL net. Underpaying, paying late or making arbitrary deductions from wages creates serious risks for employers. An employee whose wages are not paid within 20 days of the payment date, except in cases of force majeure, has the right to refrain from working.

Employers must also comply with the principle of equal treatment among employees doing the same work. No discrimination may be made on grounds such as gender, language, race, religion or political opinion, and a lower wage cannot be set for the same or equal work because of gender.

Severance Pay and Notice Pay

An employee who has worked for the same employer for at least 1 year and whose contract ends in one of the ways listed in the law receives severance pay equal to 30 days of gross wages for each full year of service. The amount paid for one year cannot exceed the severance pay ceiling, which is 73,729.87 TL for the period 1 July - 31 December 2026. For indefinite-term contracts, a notice period of 2 to 8 weeks, depending on length of service, must be observed before termination.

Employer Obligations and Areas of Responsibility

What Are an Employer’s Responsibilities?

Employer responsibilities are not limited to paying wages; they cover a wide range of areas including the duty of care towards employees, ensuring occupational health and safety, record-keeping and compliance with regulations. The following are particularly important:

• Registering employees with the Social Security Institution (SGK) before they start work,

• Keeping employment contracts and personnel files in line with regulations,

• Correctly keeping records of working hours, overtime and leave,

• Reflecting wages, bonuses, overtime and benefits transparently on payroll,

• Following written notice and legal procedures in termination processes.

Breaching these obligations can lead to compensation claims, administrative fines and litigation. It is also worth remembering that administrative fines are increased every year by the revaluation rate.

The Role of Human Resources: Compliance and Record Management

The role of modern human resources departments is not only to hire but also to ensure that the employer fulfils these obligations systematically. In this context, steps such as:

• Keeping legal documents up to date,

• Communicating with employees in writing and transparently,

• Sharing policies and procedures with employees

both protect employee rights and strengthen the company against potential disputes.

Occupational Safety and Working Conditions: Law No. 6331 and the Labour Law

Why Is Occupational Safety Critical for Employers?

Occupational Health and Safety Law No. 6331 clearly defines the employer’s responsibility for occupational safety: the employer is obliged to ensure employees’ work-related health and safety. In this context, the employer must:

• Carry out a risk assessment,

• Provide the necessary personal protective equipment,

• Provide occupational health and safety training to employees,

• Appoint an OHS specialist and a workplace physician, or obtain these services from a joint health and safety unit (OSGB),

• Minimize the risks of workplace accidents and occupational diseases.

Breaching these obligations can have serious administrative, criminal and compensation consequences.

Changes to Working Conditions and Informing Employees

When an employer wants to make a material change to elements such as working hours, pay structure or job description, it must notify the employee in writing. A change that the employee does not accept in writing within 6 working days is not binding on the employee. That is why managing working conditions clearly and in writing at every step helps prevent future disputes.

Key Trends in Employment Law: Flexible Work, Digitalization and Compliance

Flexible working models and digital processes are becoming increasingly common in working life. This creates the need for a new balance in terms of both employee rights and employer obligations:

• Remote and hybrid working models,

• Flexible and part-time contracts,

• Digital payroll and e-signature processes,

• Processing employee data in compliance with Türkiye’s Personal Data Protection Law (KVKK).

As these practices spread, it is becoming essential for companies to support their employment law compliance with digital tools.

A More Transparent View of Rights and Obligations with İşin Olacak

İşin Olacak, a Türkiye-based digital employment platform powered by its own AI engines, aims to build a fairer, more transparent and data-driven employment ecosystem.

İşin Olacak for Employers

• Helps you share working conditions, salary ranges and benefits transparently in your job listings,

• Quickly highlights the most suitable candidates for your role with AI pre-screening interviews and candidate scoring,

• Reduces the risk of disputes arising from mismatches by starting with the right candidate.

İşin Olacak for Employees

• Helps you create a strong CV with AI-powered CV building,

• Helps you choose opportunities that match your priorities by comparing working conditions through personalized job recommendations,

• Helps you go into interviews better prepared with interview preparation support.

Conclusion: Strong Rights, Strong Responsibilities, a Healthier Working Life

Employee rights and employer obligations now play a central role not only in legislation but also in company culture. Employers who comply with the Labour Law, prioritize occupational safety and manage working conditions transparently both reduce their legal risks and build a stronger employer brand.

• As an employer: Create your company profile and post your job listings. Employer accounts are free until the end of the year. You can explore the demo to try our AI pre-screening interview.

• As an employee: Create your CV and discover new career opportunities by applying to transparent, corporate job listings.

Note: This article is for general information purposes only. For specific disputes, we recommend consulting an employment law expert.