Leave Policy in Turkey

Turkey's leave entitlements are governed by Labor Law No. 4857. Annual leave scales with tenure: 14 working days after one year of service, 20 days after five years, and 26 days after fifteen years. Unused annual leave must be paid out at termination under Article 59 of the same law.

Law No. 7578, effective 1 May 2026, extends maternity leave to 24 weeks and paternity leave to 10 days. During maternity leave, the Social Security Institution (SGK) pays 66.7% of the employee's daily earnings.

• Annual leave tiers: 14, 20, or 26 working days depending on years of service
• Maternity leave extended to 24 weeks under Law No. 7578 (effective 1 May 2026)
• Paternity leave extended to 10 days under the same law
• SGK covers 66.7% of daily earnings during maternity leave
• Unused annual leave must be encashed at termination under Article 59 of Labor Law No. 4857

Gloroots supports companies employing workers in Turkey through its Global Employer of Record (EOR) service. The platform tracks statutory leave entitlements, manages compliance with Labor Law No. 4857, and maintains accurate records across your workforce.

Leave Policy at a Glance

Overview and Legal Basis for Leave in Turkey

Turkey's leave framework is governed primarily by Labor Law No. 4857. Benefit rates, including sick pay calculations, are set under Law No. 5510 (Social Insurance and General Health Insurance Law), administered by the Social Security Institution (SGK). Law No. 7578, effective 1 May 2026, updates maternity and paternity entitlements.

Statutory rules define minimum floors. Employment contracts and collective agreements may improve on those minimums but cannot fall below them. Employers managing Turkish headcount through a how does EOR work model rely on these statutes as the baseline for compliant employment terms.

Turkish labor law covers the following leave categories:

• Annual (earned) leave
• Sick leave
• Maternity leave
• Paternity leave
• Adoption leave
• Bereavement leave
• Marriage leave
• Breastfeeding breaks
• Military leave
• Unpaid parental extension
• Disabled child leave

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Annual Leave (Earned / Privilege Leave)

Annual leave entitlement under Article 53 of Labor Law No. 4857 is tied to length of service. Employees qualify after completing one full year with the same employer. The table below shows the statutory minimums.

Underground and mine workers receive four additional days beyond their standard tier entitlement, per Article 53. Annual leave provisions do not apply to seasonal or inherently short-term employment where the nature of the work is less than one year.

There is no statutory cap on carry-forward. Unused leave may accumulate across years without a legal ceiling. On termination for any reason, Article 59 requires the employer to pay out all accrued unused annual leave at the employee's final-day wage rate.

Employees must request leave in advance. The employer retains the right to schedule the timing of leave, provided the statutory entitlement is granted within the leave year. Contracts and collective agreements may grant more days than the statutory minimums shown above. For a comparable European benchmark, see the leave policy in Germany.

Public Holidays

Turkey observes 15.5 public holidays in 2025, covering national, secular, and religious occasions. Employees who work on a public holiday receive their normal wage plus an additional full day's wage for each holiday worked.

Eid al-Fitr and the Feast of Sacrifice shift each year because they follow the Islamic lunar calendar. The 2025 dates below reflect current projections and should be reviewed annually.

Sick Leave

Turkish employers are not legally required to pay employees directly during sick leave. The Social Security Institution (SGK) steps in after a qualifying period, subject to conditions set out in Law No. 5510, Article 18.

To qualify for SGK temporary incapacity benefit, an employee must have at least 90 days of short-term insurance premium contributions within the one year before the incapacity start date. Once eligible, SGK pays 2/3 (66.7%) of average daily earnings for outpatient treatment and 1/2 (50%) for inpatient treatment. A medical report is required to support the claim.

For work-related accidents and occupational diseases, the three-day waiting period does not apply. SGK benefit begins from day one of incapacity in those cases.

Some employers voluntarily cover the first two days not paid by SGK, or pay full salary throughout sick leave and seek SGK reimbursement later. Neither approach is legally mandated.

If sick leave extends beyond six weeks past the applicable notice periods under Labor Law No. 4857, the employer may terminate the employment contract without notice. Employers managing Turkish employees across multiple jurisdictions can compare how similar rules apply elsewhere, such as in the leave policy in Poland, where statutory sick pay structures differ in structure and duration.

Casual Leave

Turkish Labor Law No. 4857 does not recognize a separate casual leave category. There is no statutory entitlement labeled "casual leave" in Turkish employment law.

Short-notice absences are typically managed by drawing from an employee's annual earned leave balance under Article 53. Where no annual leave balance remains, employers may grant unpaid leave at their discretion. This is not a statutory right.

Global employers benchmarking Turkish benefits often ask about casual leave because it exists as a named category in other jurisdictions. In Turkey, the correct reference point is the annual leave entitlement under Article 53, not a separate casual leave provision.

Maternity Leave

Turkish maternity leave totals 24 weeks for singleton births under Law No. 7578, effective 1 May 2026. Multiple births receive 26 weeks.

The statutory period is split into pre-natal and post-natal portions. Pre-natal leave is 8 weeks. Post-natal leave is 16 weeks, increased from 8 weeks by Law No. 7578. An employee may work until 2 weeks before the due date (reduced from 3 weeks by the same law), and any unused pre-natal weeks transfer to the post-natal period.

Payment during the full statutory period comes from the Social Security Institution (SGK) under Law No. 5510, Article 18. SGK pays 66.7% (two-thirds) of average daily earnings. Employers have no statutory obligation to pay during this period but may top up voluntarily.

After statutory maternity leave ends, female employees may request up to 6 months of unpaid leave. This period does not count toward annual leave accrual under Article 55. The statutory pre-natal and post-natal weeks do count toward accrual.

Breastfeeding leave of 1.5 hours per day is paid for children under 12 months. The employee determines the timing. This time counts as daily working time under Article 74.

Administering maternity leave across multiple countries requires tracking statutory pay sources, accrual rules, and extension rights separately for each jurisdiction. Gloroots EOR services govern these obligations at the employment level, keeping records accurate and filings on schedule.

Paternity Leave

Fathers in Turkey are entitled to 10 calendar days of paid paternity leave following the birth of their child. This entitlement is statutory under Labor Law No. 4857, Supplementary Article 2, as amended by Law No. 7578, effective 1 May 2026.

Leave begins on the date of birth and is employer-paid. Social Security (SGK) does not fund this entitlement. All private employers must comply; there is no distinction between public and private sector obligations on this leave type.

Adoption and Surrogacy Leave

Employees in Turkey who adopt a child under three years of age are entitled to 8 weeks of paid leave, equivalent to maternity leave, under Labor Law No. 4857, Article 74. Adoption must be legally formalized to qualify.

Separately, Turkish employment law provides 3 paid days of adoption leave as a statutory entitlement. Law No. 7578 introduced an additional 10 days of unpaid leave for employees working as foster or protective family carers, available upon child placement.

Turkish law does not include a specific statutory provision for surrogacy leave. Employers should seek legal guidance when surrogacy situations arise, as no codified entitlement currently exists.

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Bereavement Leave

Under Labor Law No. 4857, employees in Turkey are entitled to three days of paid bereavement leave following the death of an immediate family member. Immediate family members recognized under Turkish labor practice include a spouse, children, parents, and siblings.

The employer bears the full cost of this leave. Collective agreements may extend the duration beyond three days or expand the scope of covered relationships. Employers should review any applicable collective agreement before applying the statutory minimum.

Other Leave Types

Turkish labor law provides several additional leave entitlements beyond annual, sick, and parental leave.

Marriage leave grants employees three paid working days upon their own marriage. This entitlement is statutory under Labor Law No. 4857 and is paid by the employer.

Parents of a child with a disability of 70% or more, or a chronic illness confirmed by medical report, may take up to 10 days of paid leave per year to attend medical appointments or treatments. This leave is non-transferable between parents and cannot be split into partial-day segments.

• Jury duty leave: Turkey has no jury system, so no statutory jury duty leave exists.
• Voting leave: Turkish labor law includes no statutory provision for paid voting leave.
• Sabbatical leave: No statutory sabbatical entitlement exists under Turkish labor law.

Employees working the standard 45-hour week are entitled to a continuous 24-hour weekly rest period. Under Article 46 of Labor Law No. 4857, the employer must pay a full daily wage for that rest day.

Carry-Forward and Leave Encashment Rules

Labor Law No. 4857 sets no statutory cap on unused annual leave carried forward to the following year. Whether unused leave lapses or is paid out at year-end depends on the employer's policy or the individual contract, since no automatic lapse is mandated by statute.

On termination, Article 59 requires the employer to pay out all accrued unused annual leave at the wage rate in effect on the final day of employment. This obligation applies regardless of the reason for termination.

During active employment, employees have no statutory right to encash annual leave. Leave must be taken as time off, not converted to cash.

• Statutory maternity leave weeks count toward annual leave accrual.
• Any unpaid extension of maternity leave does not count toward accrual.
• Collective agreements or contracts may set more favorable carry-forward terms; apply whichever is more beneficial to the employee.

Employers managing leave across multiple jurisdictions can compare these rules with the leave policy in UAE, where encashment rules differ notably.

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Best Practices for Managing Leave Compliantly in Turkey

Compliant leave management in Turkey requires consistent record-keeping and awareness of recent legislative changes. Four practices reduce compliance risk across HR and payroll teams.

• Track service anniversaries individually. Annual leave accrual is based on each employee's service date, not the calendar year. Payroll systems must reflect this per-employee calculation.
• Prepare for Law No. 7578 changes before 1 May 2026. Updated maternity and paternity entitlements take effect on that date. Brief all HR and payroll staff on the changes in advance.
• Document every leave request and approval in writing. Retain medical certificates for sick leave and adoption or disability documentation where applicable. Written records protect both employer and employee in any dispute.
• Review collective agreements and individual contracts. Identify entitlements above the statutory floor and apply the more favorable terms. Statutory minimums are a baseline, not a ceiling.

Organizations scaling headcount in Turkey can work with a best employer of record partner to govern these obligations centrally and reduce the risk of missed compliance deadlines.

Managing Leave Policy in Turkey with Gloroots

Turkey's leave framework spans three statutes: Labor Law No. 4857, Law No. 5510, and Law No. 7578, with 2026 amendments requiring updated compliance processes across payroll and benefits systems.

Gloroots tracks leave balances, manages request and approval workflows, and coordinates payroll integration with SGK benefit calculations. Compliance reporting is generated automatically, giving HR and Finance teams clear visibility into entitlements and usage.

For companies hiring in Turkey without a local entity, Gloroots provides EOR services that cover employment contracts, statutory filings, and benefit administration under Turkish law. Transparent, country-specific pricing means costs remain predictable as headcount grows. Gloroots runs local execution with centralized governance, so your team retains control without managing in-country legal complexity directly.

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Frequently Asked Questions About Leave Policy in Turkey

How much annual leave are employees entitled to in Turkey?

Employees in Turkey earn a minimum of 14 working days of paid annual leave after completing one year of service.

Entitlement increases to 20 days after five years and 26 days after 15 years. Employees under 18 or over 50 receive at least 20 days regardless of tenure.

How many annual leave days are employees entitled to in Turkey?

Employees in Turkey receive a minimum of 14 working days of paid annual leave after completing one year of service. This increases to 20 days after five years and 26 days after 15 years. Employees under 18 or over 50 receive at least 20 days regardless of tenure.

How many public holidays does Turkey observe each year?

Turkey observes approximately 15.5 public holidays per year. The total includes fixed national holidays and religious holidays that shift annually based on the Islamic lunar calendar, plus a half-day for Eid al-Fitr Eve. Employees who work on a public holiday receive an additional full day's wage.

How long is paternity leave in Turkey and who pays for it?

As of 1 May 2026, paternity leave in Turkey is 10 calendar days, doubled from the previous 5-day entitlement by Law No. 7578. Leave begins on the date of birth. The employer bears the full cost; SGK does not reimburse paternity leave.

Is unused annual leave paid out when employment ends in Turkey?

Yes. Under Labor Law No. 4857 Article 59, all accrued unused annual leave must be paid out at the wage rate in effect on the final day of employment. This applies regardless of the reason for termination, whether the employee resigns, is dismissed, or the contract expires.

Can unused annual leave be carried forward in Turkey?

Turkish Labor Law No. 4857 sets no statutory cap on unused annual leave carried forward to the following year. Unused leave accumulates without a legal limit. Whether it lapses or is paid out at year-end depends on the employer's policy or the terms of the employment contract.

How long is maternity leave in Turkey after the 2026 law change?

From 1 May 2026, total maternity leave in Turkey is 24 weeks under Law No. 7578: 8 weeks pre-natal and 16 weeks post-natal. Multiple pregnancies receive 26 weeks. SGK pays two-thirds of the employee's average daily earnings for the full leave period.

What does SGK pay during sick leave in Turkey?

Under Law No. 5510 Article 18, SGK pays a temporary incapacity allowance starting from the third day of sickness. The benefit equals two-thirds of average daily earnings for outpatient treatment and one-half for inpatient treatment. Employees must have at least 90 days of short-term insurance premium contributions in the year before incapacity begins.