Navigating labor regulations is crucial for businesses operating in Turkey or employing Turkish residents. Turkish labor law establishes clear guidelines regarding working hours, overtime, rest periods, and employer obligations to ensure fair treatment and compliance within the workforce. Understanding these rules is essential for managing employees effectively and avoiding potential legal issues.
Compliance with Turkish working time laws involves adhering to limits on daily and weekly hours, properly compensating for any work performed beyond the standard limits, and ensuring employees receive their mandatory rest and break entitlements. Employers also have specific record-keeping duties to demonstrate compliance with these regulations.
Standard Working Hours and Workweek Structure
The standard working week in Turkey is set at a maximum of 45 hours. This weekly total can be distributed across the working days, provided that the daily working time does not exceed 11 hours. Typically, the 45 hours are spread over six working days, resulting in one mandatory rest day per week. However, the weekly hours can also be distributed over fewer days, such as five days, which would mean a daily limit of 9 hours if spread equally, or up to 11 hours on some days as long as the weekly total and daily maximum are not exceeded.
| Working Time Limit | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Standard Weekly | 45 hours | Maximum limit |
| Maximum Daily | 11 hours | Cannot be exceeded, even with overtime |
| Minimum Rest Days | 1 day per week | Mandatory weekly rest |
Overtime Regulations and Compensation Requirements
Work performed in excess of the standard 45 hours per week is considered overtime. There are limits on the amount of overtime an employee can work; the total overtime hours in a year cannot exceed 270 hours per employee. Overtime work requires the employee's consent.
Compensation for overtime is mandated by law. For each hour of overtime, the employee must be paid at least 150% of their normal hourly wage. Alternatively, by mutual agreement, employees can be granted 1.5 hours of free time for each hour of overtime worked.
| Overtime Limit | Duration | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Maximum Annual | 270 hours | Per employee |
| Minimum Compensation | 150% of wage | Or 1.5 hours of time off per overtime hour |
Rest Periods and Break Entitlements
Employees are entitled to mandatory rest breaks during their working day, the duration of which depends on the total daily working time. These breaks are typically unpaid and are not included in the calculation of working hours.
| Daily Working Time | Minimum Break Duration |
|---|---|
| 4 hours or less | 15 minutes |
| 4 to 7.5 hours | 30 minutes |
| More than 7.5 hours | 60 minutes |
In addition to daily breaks, employees are entitled to a continuous rest period of at least 24 hours within each seven-day period, which is the mandatory weekly rest day.
Night Shift and Weekend Work Regulations
Night work is defined as work performed between 8 PM and 6 AM. The duration of night work cannot exceed 7.5 hours in a 24-hour period, except for certain specific sectors or roles defined by regulation. Employees engaged in night work must undergo health checks at regular intervals.
Working on the mandatory weekly rest day (typically Sunday) is generally not permitted. If an employee is required to work on their weekly rest day, they are entitled to 150% of their daily wage for that day, in addition to their normal weekly wage. This compensation is similar to overtime pay but specifically applies to the rest day.
Working Time Recording Obligations
Employers in Turkey are legally required to maintain accurate records of their employees' working hours, including regular hours, overtime, night shifts, and rest periods. These records are crucial for demonstrating compliance with labor laws and may be requested during inspections by labor authorities. The records should be kept for a specified period, typically linked to the statute of limitations for wage claims. While the specific method of recording (e.g., time clock, manual log, electronic system) is not strictly mandated, the records must be reliable and reflect the actual hours worked by each employee.
