Managing employee leave and vacation entitlements in Turkey requires a clear understanding of the country's labor laws. Turkish legislation provides specific guidelines for various types of leave, ensuring employees receive adequate time off for rest, personal matters, illness, and family events. These regulations are designed to protect employee rights and promote a healthy work-life balance.
Employers operating in Turkey must adhere to these statutory requirements, which cover everything from minimum annual leave based on tenure to specific provisions for public holidays, sick leave, and various forms of parental leave. Navigating these rules is essential for compliance and effective workforce management.
Annual Vacation Leave
Employees in Turkey are entitled to paid annual leave after completing at least one year of service. The minimum duration of annual leave is determined by the employee's length of service with the same employer. These minimums are set by law, and employers may offer more generous entitlements, but not less.
The statutory minimum annual leave entitlements are as follows:
| Length of Service | Minimum Annual Leave (Working Days) |
|---|---|
| 1 to 5 years (inclusive) | 14 days |
| 5 to 15 years (inclusive) | 20 days |
| 15 years or more | 26 days |
For employees aged 18 or younger and those aged 50 or older, the minimum annual leave entitlement is 20 days, regardless of their length of service. Annual leave days are calculated based on working days, excluding weekends and public holidays. Leave can generally be taken in installments, provided one installment is at least 10 days. Leave entitlements cannot be waived by the employee.
Public Holidays
Turkey observes several national and religious public holidays throughout the year. Employees are generally entitled to a paid day off on these holidays. If an employee is required to work on a public holiday, they are typically entitled to receive 1.5 times their normal daily wage for that day.
The public holidays observed in Turkey in 2025 include:
| Date(s) | Holiday | Type |
|---|---|---|
| January 1 | New Year's Day | National |
| March 31 - April 3 (approx.) | Eid al-Fitr (Ramadan Feast) | Religious |
| April 23 | National Sovereignty and Children's Day | National |
| May 1 | Labour and Solidarity Day | National |
| May 19 | Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day | National |
| June 6 - June 10 (approx.) | Eid al-Adha (Feast of Sacrifice) | Religious |
| July 15 | Democracy and National Unity Day | National |
| August 30 | Victory Day | National |
| October 29 | Republic Day | National |
Note: Dates for religious holidays (Eid al-Fitr and Eid al-Adha) are approximate as they are based on the lunar calendar and subject to official confirmation.
Sick Leave
Employees in Turkey are entitled to sick leave when they are unable to work due to illness or injury. To be eligible for sick pay, employees must obtain a medical report from a healthcare provider.
- Duration: There is no statutory limit on the total duration of sick leave an employee can take, provided it is supported by valid medical reports. However, if an employee is on sick leave for an extended period (e.g., longer than their notice period plus six weeks), the employer may have grounds for termination under certain conditions, typically related to the employee's inability to perform their job.
- Pay: Employers are generally not legally required to pay the employee's salary for sick leave. Instead, employees are entitled to receive temporary incapacity benefit payments from the Social Security Institution (SGK) starting from the third day of sick leave. The first two days of sick leave are typically unpaid unless the employer voluntarily chooses to cover them or a collective bargaining agreement dictates otherwise. The SGK benefit amount is a percentage of the employee's daily earnings, varying slightly depending on whether the employee is hospitalized or receiving outpatient treatment.
Parental Leave
Turkish law provides various types of leave related to childbirth and childcare, including maternity, paternity, and adoption leave.
- Maternity Leave: Female employees are entitled to a total of 16 weeks of paid maternity leave. This typically consists of 8 weeks before the expected date of delivery and 8 weeks after the delivery. In case of multiple pregnancies, an additional 2 weeks are added to the pre-delivery period, totaling 18 weeks. This leave can be adjusted based on the employee's health and the doctor's recommendation, allowing some pre-delivery leave to be transferred to the post-delivery period. Maternity leave pay is covered by the SGK in the form of a temporary incapacity benefit.
- Paternity Leave: Male employees are entitled to 5 days of paid paternity leave upon the birth of their child. This leave is typically paid by the employer.
- Adoption Leave: Employees who adopt a child under the age of three are entitled to 8 weeks of paid leave from the date the child is placed with them. This leave is available to one of the adopting parents. Like maternity leave, adoption leave pay is typically covered by the SGK.
- Unpaid Leave: Following the completion of maternity or adoption leave, employees may request up to 6 months of unpaid leave.
- Part-Time Work / Reduced Hours: After completing statutory maternity or adoption leave, and the potential 6 months of unpaid leave, employees may request to work part-time (up to half the normal working hours) until the child starts primary school (typically around age 5.5-6). Alternatively, they can request reduced daily working hours for breastfeeding purposes.
Other Types of Leave
Beyond annual, public, sick, and parental leave, Turkish labor law also provides for other specific types of paid leave:
- Bereavement Leave: Employees are entitled to 3 days of paid leave in the event of the death of their spouse, child, parent, or sibling.
- Marriage Leave: Employees are entitled to 3 days of paid leave upon their marriage.
- Study Leave: While not a statutory entitlement for all employees, collective bargaining agreements or individual employment contracts may provide for paid or unpaid leave for educational purposes.
- Sabbatical Leave: Sabbatical leave is not a statutory entitlement in Turkey. Any provisions for sabbatical leave would be based on company policy or individual agreement.
- Leave for Seeking New Employment: During the notice period for termination, employees are entitled to paid time off to seek new employment. This time off must be at least two hours per day.
