The working hours in Turkey vary according to the city and according to the work and the company. The working hours in accordance with the Labor Law are set to a maximum of 45 hours per week according to the Labor Law. Essentially, 45 hours should be divided equally between working days. Where the hours of work can be arranged by the employer within legal limits, in accordance with the Labor Code. As a basic rule, hours exceeding 45 hours per week must be calculated and paid as additional working hours.
Each hour of overtime is paid by raising the hourly rate by 50%. Instead of paying for overtime, the employee may be granted 1.5 hours leave for each additional hour of work. Additional working hours are paid during weekends and public holidays as a day's leave and overtime. These rates may rise according to collective or individual employment contracts between employees and employers. Total overtime hours should not exceed 270 hours per year.
Paid annual holidays
There are seven days of paid public holidays in the year (1 January, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August and 29 October) (Eid al-Fitr and Adha), which is a total of nine days, and employees are entitled to enjoy the annual paid holidays for the periods mentioned below, provided they continue their work for at least one year including a period of probation as shown in the following table:
Duration of work (years)
Minimum duration of paid leave
1 to 5 years (5 years inclusive)
14 working days
Over five to fifteen years
20 working days
Fifteen years and more (15 inclusive)
26 working days
These benefits are the minimum level recognized by law and may increase in accordance with collective or individual employment contracts.
In accordance with the Regulations for the payment of salaries, allowances, emoluments and other compensation, in the case of the appointment of the employer to five workers in the same place of work or throughout the country; any payments to employees must be made through the banks. Employers may be subject to administrative fines if wages or salaries are not paid in bank employees' accounts. It is possible to exchange salaries in foreign currencies. In this case, salaries should be paid in Turkish lire calculated on the appropriate basis for the foreign exchange rate in force at the date of payment.
