Understanding Employee Leave Entitlements in Turkey

Navigating Turkey's employment regulations requires a clear understanding of various leave types available to workers. This guide provides comprehensive insights into statutory leave policies that every HR professional should master when managing Turkish workforce.

Annual Leave Regulations in Turkey

Turkish employees become eligible for paid annual leave after completing one year of continuous service, including probation periods. The duration of annual leave increases with seniority, creating a tiered system that rewards long-term employment.

Employees with 1-5 years of service receive 14 days annual leave, while those with 5-15 years qualify for 20 days. Workers exceeding 15 years of service enjoy 26 days of annual leave. Special provisions apply to younger and older employees: workers under 18 and over 50 automatically qualify for at least 20 days annual leave regardless of service length.

Consider this practical scenario: An employee hired on February 1, 2019, completes their fifth service year on February 1, 2024. They become eligible for 20 days annual leave starting February 1, 2025. The statutory leave periods represent minimum requirements, which employers can enhance through employment contracts or collective bargaining agreements.

Annual leave must be paid in advance before the vacation period. Importantly, weekly rest days and public holidays falling within annual leave periods are added to the total vacation time. For instance, taking 14 days annual leave that includes two weekend days effectively provides 16 days off.

Medical and Sick Leave Provisions

Turkish Labor Law permits sick leave up to one week with proper medical documentation. Employers aren't obligated to pay salaries during sick leave, but employees may qualify for temporary disability benefits from social security.

The Social Security Institution provides two-thirds of daily earnings as disability benefits, starting from the third day of absence. Employees must have paid at least 90 days of short-term insurance premiums in the year preceding their illness to qualify. Work-related injuries or occupational diseases receive full coverage from the first day.

Extended sick leave beyond six weeks plus the statutory notice period may constitute grounds for contract termination without notice. The notice period varies by service length: 2 weeks for under 6 months, 4 weeks for 6-18 months, 6 weeks for 1.5-3 years, and 8 weeks for over 3 years of service.

Maternity and Parental Leave Rights

Female employees benefit from 8 weeks prenatal and 8 weeks postnatal leave, extendable to 10 weeks prenatal for multiple births. With medical approval, employees can work until 3 weeks before delivery, transferring unused prenatal leave to the postnatal period.

Social security provides temporary disability benefits during maternity leave, calculated at two-thirds of daily earnings. Following maternity leave, employees may request up to 6 months unpaid leave, which doesn't count toward service年限 calculation.

Additional unpaid leave options include half-day breaks: 60 days for first child, 120 days for second, and 180 days for third child. These provisions extend to adoptive parents under specific conditions.

Additional Leave Categories

Turkey's labor framework includes several specialized leave types:

Paternity Leave: 5 days paid leave following spouse's childbirth
Adoption Leave: 3 days paid leave for child adoption, plus 8 weeks for adopting infants under three years old
Nursing Breaks: 1.5 hours daily paid leave until child's first birthday
Parental Care Leave: 10 days annual paid leave for employees with disabled or chronically ill children (minimum 70% disability rating)
Marriage Leave: 3 days paid leave for wedding ceremonies
Bereavement Leave: 3 days paid leave for immediate family members' passing

2025 Public Holidays in Turkey

Turkey observes 14 national holidays annually. Businesses typically close during these periods, though service industries may operate with reduced capacity.

Holiday	Date
New Year's Day	January 1
Eid al-Fitr*	April 10-12
National Sovereignty and Children's Day	April 23
Labor Day	May 1
Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day	May 19
Eid al-Adha*	June 16-19
Democracy and National Unity Day	July 15
Victory Day	August 30
Republic Day	October 29

*Islamic holidays follow lunar calendar and dates may vary

For comprehensive guidance on implementing these regulations within your organization, SailGlobal offers specialized consultation services tailored to international HR requirements.

Turkey Employee Leave Guide 2025: Annual, Maternity & Sick Leave Regulations