Hire in Turkey

Employer of record in Turkey

If a lack of speed or local expertise are among your top concerns when expanding to or employing workers in Turkey, an employer of record may be the best option for achieving your global growth objectives.

An employer of record, sometimes known as an international PEO, enables you to quickly hire and onboard workers in Turkey―often in as little as two weeks―without having to take on the cost and risk of establishing a local entity.

Learn about the hiring, employment, payroll and benefits requirements for workers in Turkey and how our employer of record service, EOR, and local HR experts can help you manage your international employment needs. 

Hiring in Turkey

The Constitution, the Labor Law and the Code of Obligations govern individual labor relations. The Labor Law does not apply to all workers, and some categories of workers are subject to special laws. The Trade Unions and Collective Bargaining Agreements Law governs collective labor relations.

The Ministry of Labor and Social Security and its regional directorates are responsible for labor issues. Legal disputes arising from individual and collective employment relations fall under the jurisdiction of the Labor Courts.

Since employment in Turkey is highly regulated, compliant employment contracts are an essential business need. As your employer of record and PEO in Turkey, we can ensure that every contract, for every worker, meets all requirements. We can also provide you with guidance about cultural norms and hiring best practices and keep you up-to-date with employment regulations as they change.

Employment contracts for a definite term of one year or more must be in writing. 

Employment contracts in Turkey

As you look to hire employees in Turkey, here are some standard regulations you’ll need to know to create a compliant contract, as well as how an employer of record and PEO can provide support for your unique HR needs.  

Working hours  

Under the Labor Law, the maximum workweek is generally 45 hours divided into workdays of equal length.

In some cases, however, an employer can exceed the work hours to longer than 45 hours without having to pay overtime, provided that no workday exceeds 11 hours and that the average length of the workweek does not exceed 45 hours within a two-month period. 

Under collective bargaining agreements, this balancing period may be lengthened to four months. 

Workers are entitled to a break of not less than one hour at noontime and an uninterrupted rest period in the middle of the workday of between 15 and 60 minutes depending on the workday’s length. 

Night work is defined as employment between 8 p.m. and 6 a.m. A night shift may not exceed seven and a half hours and workers can only be assigned to a night shift for a week at a time. Workers under 18 years old may not be employed in industrial night work.

Compensation

As you consider the appropriate salary to offer new employees, keep in mind:  

• Effective July 1, 2023, through Dec. 31, 2023, the monthly minimum wage is 11,402 lira. 
• Minimum wages are determined by the minimum wage board at the Ministry of Labor. Decisions of the board are final and the minimum wage must be determined at least once every two years. During recent years, the minimum wage has been set at six-month intervals. 
• Workers must be paid a full wage for the declared public and religious holidays if they do not work, while those who do work get double the regular wage on those holidays. 
• Overtime pay at time and a half the regular rate is required when an employee works more than 45 hours in a week. 

As your employer of record in Turkey, we can provide you with resources and insights about employee compensation, so you are better equipped to make a competitive employment offer.

Bonuses

There are no provisions in the labor code governing bonuses.

Probationary period

Probationary periods are generally limited to two months but can be extended to four months under the terms of a collective agreement.

Termination and severance

In workplaces with 30 or more employees, dismissals of workers with indefinite employment contracts who have been employed for at least six months must be made for a legitimate reason. The employer must give written notification clearly stating the cause of dismissal.

In workplaces with 29 or fewer employees, either the employer or the worker may terminate without cause an employment contract made for an indefinite period by giving the other party written advance notice.

An employee's length of service determines the minimum notice period, as follows: 

• Two weeks for less than six months of service
• Four weeks for more than six months and less than 18 months of service 
• Six weeks for more than 18 months but less than three years of service 
• Eight weeks for more than three years of service

Unless an agreement increases the amount, severance pay is equal to 30 days of the worker’s latest wages and supplements for each full year of service from the commencement of the employment contract. For periods less than one year, payment must be prorated. Severance pay provisions are mandatory and except for the 30-day wage rate may not be modified by contract.

The employer must also pay the worker for any leave the worker earned but did not use. 

Employee benefits and paid leave in Turkey

When negotiating terms of an employment contract with a candidate in Turkey, here are some of the statutory benefits and paid leave requirements to keep in mind, as well as how an employer of record can support your company’s benefits strategy.

Maternity leave

Pregnant employees are not allowed to work during the eight weeks before childbirth or the eight weeks after birth. This eight-week period may go up to 10 weeks in case of multiple childbirths. The mandatory leave period may also be stretched on the doctor’s advice if the mother’s health necessitates it.

When adopting a child under three years of age, one of the adopting parents is entitled to eight weeks’ maternity leave. The Social Security Institution pays the employees on mandatory maternity leave, and they receive two-thirds of their regular wages.

Mothers also have the right to six months of unpaid leave as part of their maternity leave entitlement. If a mother dies during or after child birth, maternity leave is granted to the father.

Vacation

Workers who have completed a year of service with an establishment, including any probationary period, are entitled to annual leave with pay as follows: 

• 14 workdays of leave for service of one year to five years
• 20 workdays of leave for service of more than five years but less than 15 years
• 26 workdays of leave for service of 15 years or more 

Paid annual leave for workers younger than 18 or older than 50 may not be less than 20 workdays. Employees who work underground receive four additional days of paid leave. Leave periods may be increased by individual employment contracts or collective agreements.

Holidays

The Law on National Holidays and General Holidays establishes six public holidays: 

• New Year’s Day 
• National Sovereignty and Children’s Day 
• Labor Day 
• Commemoration of Ataturk and Youth and Sports Day 
• Victory Day 
• Republic Day, one and a half days starting at 1 p.m. on Oct. 28 

In addition, two religious holidays must be observed: 

• Feast of Ramadan, three and a half days starting at 1 p.m. on the day before the holiday 
• Feast of Sacrifice, four and a half days starting at 1 p.m. on the day before the holiday 

The Lunar Calendar determines the actual dates of the religious holidays that vary each year.

Sick leave

Employees with a minimum of 90 days of contributions to the social security system are entitled to paid sick leave for a maximum of one week in the case of sickness or to recover as long as they provide a medical report.

Employees with a minimum of 30 days of contributions are entitled to medical benefits. Sick leave can be extended on an unpaid basis.

The employee, employer, and the government make contributions into the social security system for sick leave benefits.

Health coverage

Employers must automatically enroll Turkish employees under the age of 45 in a private pension plan. Employers must withhold the employee contribution and remit it to the pension administrator no more than one business day following the salary payment. Employees seeking to opt out of the private pension plan must do so within two months of receiving notification of their automatic enrollment. Employers failing to automatically enroll their employees in the new private pension plan will be subject to a fine.

Comprehensive social insurance coverage is provided by the state, including unemployment benefits. The Social Insurance and Universal Health Insurance Law provides payments in case of accidents at work, occupational illness, sickness, maternity, disability, retirement and death. The Social Security Institution is the government agency responsible for implementing the Social Insurance law. Under the law, all employees are automatically insured.

Both employers and employees are required to contribute to the social insurance system.

Men aged 60 and women aged 58 who have at least 7,200 days of contributions to the social security system may retire. The retirement age will increase gradually to 65 for men by 2044 and for women by 2048. Employees, employers and the government make contributions to the fund. The pension is based on 2 percent of the employee’s last salary and the coverage period. Special conditions apply to those first insured before October 2008, who work in mines and who are 50 or older and cannot work until the full pensionable age. Workers may defer the pension, but once they take retirement they must cease all gainful employment.

Additional benefits

In addition to healthcare benefits, employees in Turkey are entitled to pension, which is funded by government tax revenues, as well as workers compensation, which is covered through mandated employer insurance.

Employer social costs will cover a large portion of employee benefits in Turkey, but we can consult with you about supplemental coverage options, such as additional pension contributions or life insurance if needed.

Updated: December 8, 2023

Employee onboarding with an employer of record in Turkey

We write and validate all local employment contracts, streamlining the onboarding process for you and your Turkey employees—all you have to do is provide relevant information and review and approve the employment agreement.

As your employer of record in Turkey, we will:   

• Schedule a welcome call to discuss HR and employment information for Turkey, as well as answer any questions 
• Prepare a customized employment contract in English or other local language 
• Share the employment contract and benefits information with the new employee for signature and review 
• Gather tax and banking information from the employee to set up payroll 
• Provide a local point of contact to the employee to answer any questions regarding their employment, local HR or payroll 

The entire onboarding process for the employee is often completed in as little as two weeks.

Partner with Safeguard Global as your Turkey employer of record and PEO

With over a decade of service, we are the longest-serving employer of record and PEO provider in the international market. Organizations around the world rely on EOR, our employer of record solution, to expand and hire in 170+ countries around the world, quickly and compliantly.

We’ve seen just about every global employment circumstance imaginable—and with our extensive knowledge of local law and culture, we know what it takes to get employment right in Turkey. We provide written contracts in the local language, salaries in the local currency and HR support in your employees’ time zone.

Additionally, as a global payroll provider we support payroll administration—including payments, filings and other calculations— all around the world and can accommodate the payroll outsourcing needs of any size organization.

Whether you’re looking to hire as part of a strategic expansion or to meet specific talent needs, our global solutions advisors can walk you through your international hiring options so you can make the right choice for your organization. Contact us today. 

Disclaimer

The information provided on or through this website is for informational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. Safeguard Global expressly disclaims any liability with respect to warranty or representation concerning the information contained herein, including the lost essence, interpretation, accuracy and/or completeness of the information in transit and language translation.