How to hire and pay employees in Turkey
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Before hiring
Before hiring employees in Turkey, there are a few important things you’ll need to know. Firstly, in Turkey, employees are entitled to up to 16 weeks of maternity leave at full pay. This is usually split into eight weeks before and after birth, but at least three weeks must be taken before the due date.
It’s also important for employers to know that in Turkey, employees are entitled to paid holidays if they have worked for at least a year. However, employees over the age of 50 automatically receive 20 days of paid holidays.
We know this might sound overwhelming—but it doesn’t have to be. A solution like Oyster eliminates the barriers for you. With Oyster, you can automate compliance across 180+ countries, easily managing HR and payroll—all in one, easy-to-use platform.
Get an overview of what you need to know when hiring in Turkey below.
At a glance
CURRENCY
TRY
OFFICIAL LANGUAGE
TURKISH
PAYROLL FREQUENCY
MONTHLY
EMPLOYER TAXES
22.5%
13th / 14th SALARY
N/A
Good to know
- Employee taxes are deducted each month from an employee’s gross salary—based on the amount paid to the employee so far that year. Due to progressive income tax rates, this means that as the total amount paid over the course of the year increases, an employee’s taxation rate increases simultaneously, and therefore, their net salary reduces each month as the tax year progresses. A common practice to keep the net salary consistent each month is for the employer to increase the monthly gross salary over the year to keep the net salary consistent.
- In addition to vacation days, employees are entitled to various other personal leaves, such as marriage leave and bereavement leave.
- Employees who have worked for their employer for at least one year are entitled to a severance payment at the rate of 30 days' gross salary for each full year of employment. This is capped at 6,730.15 lira per annum.
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Labor laws in
Turkey
Working hours and overtime
Employees are allowed to work for 45 hours per week. These hours can be distributed unevenly over the week provided no single day lasts longer than 11 hours.
Employees cannot opt out of such restrictions.
Time worked over 45 hours in a week is considered overtime and paid at 150% of an employee’s regular salary. Hours worked during the weekend are paid at 200%.
Minimum wage
Employment contracts
In Turkey, the probationary period is two months.
IP protection and non-compete agreements
Non-compete agreements should be defined in writing, be reasonably limited, and not exceed two years. The employer does not need to make any payment to the former employee to enforce the agreement.
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Benefits and leave in
Turkey
Vacation time
Employees are entitled to paid holidays if they have worked for at least a year. The number of paid holidays depends on how long the employee has been working. The breakdown is as follows:
- One to five years of service: 14 days
- Six to 14 years of service: 20 days
- More than 15 years of service: 26 days
Employees over 50 automatically receive 20 days of paid holidays.
Sick leave
Employers are not obligated to pay salaries during sick leave, but employees can receive sick pay from the state after three days of sick leave.
Maternity and paternity leave
Parental leave
Employees are entitled to up to 16 weeks of maternity leave at full pay (usually split into eight weeks before and after birth, but at least three weeks must be taken before the due date). Maternity leave payments are made from social security accounts.
Fathers are entitled to five days of paternity leave, at full pay, paid for by the employer.
Holidays
View a list of recognized public holidays in Turkey here.
Employer tax
Employers in Turkey are required to pay 22.5% on top of an employee’s salary in social contributions. This includes:
- Short Term Insurance Branch Premium: 2%
- Pension & Disability: 11%
- General Health Insurance: 7.5%
- Unemployment Insurance: 2%
Individual tax
In Turkey, employees pay between 15% and 40% in taxes depending on their income bracket. They also pay 15% social security tax, which includes contributions for pension and disability, general health insurance, and unemployment insurance.
Termination in
Turkey
Employees who have worked for their employer for at least one year are entitled to a severance payment at the rate of 30 days' gross salary for each full year of employment. This is capped at 6,730.15 lira per annum.
Under an indefinite contract, notice periods are determined by the length of the employee's service. The breakdown is as follows:
- Up to six months: Two weeks notice
- Six to 18 months: Four weeks notice
- 18 to 36 months: Six weeks notice
- More than 36 months: Eight weeks notice
There is no notice period under a fixed-term contract.
Start hiring employees in
Turkey
Setting up a business entity everywhere you want to hire a new employee isn’t scalable—it takes too long and the legal fees are high. At the same time, understanding and adhering to the local labor laws and employee expectations can be complex and time consuming. And it’s hard to find reliable information on up-to-date employment information for all the countries where you’re considering hiring. Not to mention tracking down invoices and managing employee contracts over email and spreadsheets—that gets messy fast.
We can’t afford to take risks when it comes to compliance—we need to make sure we follow the local guidelines, especially when it comes to taxes and legalities.
With Oyster, you can manage HR and payroll, and automate compliance across 180+ countries—all in one, easy-to-use platform.
Disclaimer: The information provided in this resource is for general educational purposes only and shall not be construed as legal advice. While Oyster strives to provide current and accurate information, Oyster makes no warranties or representations as to the correctness of the content provided and accepts no liability or responsibility for any errors or omissions in the content provided. By using this resource you acknowledge and agree that you do so at your own risk. The content of this resource is subject to change without notice.
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