Labor Law of Turkey
Labor Law of Turkey
Labor Law of Turkey
HISTORY
ARTICLE 1. - The purpose of this Act is to regulate the working conditions and work-related rights and
obligations of employers and employees working under an employment contract.
With the exception of those cited in Article 4, this Act shall apply to all the establishments and to their
employers, employers representatives and employees, irrespective of the subject matter of their
activities.
Establishments, employers, employers representatives and employees shall be subject to this Act
irrespective of the date of the notification to be made to the regional directorate of labour under Article 3.
- DEFINITIONS
ARTICLE 2. - The employee is a real person working under an employment contract; the employer is a
real or corporate person or a noncorporate institution or organisation employing employees; and the
relationship established between the employee and employer shall be referred to as the employment
relationship. The unit wherein the employees and material and immaterial elements are organised with a
view to ensure the production of goods and services by the employer is called the establishment.
All premises used by reason of the nature and execution of the work and organised under the same
management, including all facilities annexed to the establishment such as rest rooms, day nurseries,
dining rooms, dormitories, bathrooms, rooms for medical examination and nursing, places for physical
and vocational training and courtyards as well as the vehicles are deemed to be part of the establishment.
The establishment is an integrated organisational entity within the meaning of the annexed and adjunct
facilities and vehicles.
The employers representative is the person acting on behalf of the employer and charged with the
direction of work, the establishment and enterprise. The employer is directly liable towards the employees
for the conduct and responsibilities of his representative acting in this capacity.
Any obligations and responsibilities for which the employer is liable under this Act shall also be borne by
the employers representative. Bearing the status of an employers representative does not abrogate the
rights and obligations which one has as an employee.
The connection between the subcontractor who undertakes to carry out work in auxiliary tasks related to
the production of goods and services or in a certain section of the main activity due to operational
requirements or for reasons of technological expertise in the establishment of the main employer (the
principal employer) and who engages employees recruited for this purpose exclusively in the
establishment of the main employer is called the principal employer-subcontractor relationship. The
principal employer shall be jointly liable with the subcontractor for the obligations ensuing from this Labour
Act, from employment contracts of subcontractor's employees or from the collective agreement to which
the subcontractor has been signatory.
The rights of the principal employers employees shall not be restricted by way of their engagement by
the subcontractor, and no principal employer subcontractor relationship may be established between an
employer and his ex- employee. Otherwise, based on the notion that the principal employer-
subcontractor relationship was fraught with a simulated act, the employees of the subcontractor shall be
treated as employees of the principal employer. The main activity shall not be divided and assigned to
subcontractors, except for operational and work- related requirements or in jobs requiring expertise for
technological reasons.
(Additional paragraph: article 1/7/2006-5538/18) In public institutions and organizations and in
partnerships they directly or indirectly own at least fifty percent of the capital, within framework of
provisions of 4734 no Public Tender Law or other laws, in pursuant to agreements made for purpose of
service procurement, persons employed by means of a contractor may not gain a right ;
a) to be appointed to positions or staffing patterns that belong to these institutions, organizations and
partnerships,
b) to benefit from all kinds of financial rights and social aids determined pursuant to provisions of
collective work contracts, personnel laws or other related legislations for employees who work in positions
or staffing patterns of these institutions, organizations and partnerships.
(Additional paragraph: article 1/7/2006-5538/18 ): The employees who are assigned by employers other
than contractors in work places given in Article eight and persons who directly work themselves by
making a contract in their names for the work that is the subject matter of the tender will subject to same
provisions. For employees who work in positions and staffing patterns of partnerships that participated in
capital of institutions, organizations and partnerships given in Article eight, the provisions of article eight
will apply related to appointment of them to positions or staffing patterns of such institutions, organizations
and partnerships or their demands to benefit from financial rights and social aids valid at such institutions,
organizations and partnerships.
The following provisions may not be added in contracts and specifications to be made depending on
service procurement;
a) To give the authority of determining the persons to be employed and dismissing of them to the public
institutions, organizations and partnerships,
b) To continue employment of persons who previously worked in the same work place as a provisional
employee or within framework of service procurement contracts.
- EXCEPTIONS
ARTICLE 4.- The provisions of this Act shall not apply to the activities and employment relationships
mentioned below.
a) Sea and air transport activities,
b) In establishments and enterprises employing a minimum of 50 employees (50 included) where
agricultural and forestry work is carried out.
c) Any construction work related to agriculture which falls within the scope of family economy,
d) In works and handicrafts performed in the home without any outside help by members of the family or
close relatives up to 3 rd degree (3 rd degree included),
e) Domestic services,
f) Apprentices, without prejudice to the provisions on occupational health and safety,
g) Sportsmen,
h) Those undergoing rehabilitation,
i) Establishments employing three or fewer employees and falling within the definition given in Article 2
of the Tradesmen and Small Handicrafts Act,
However, the following shall be subject to this Act;
a) Loading and unloading operations to and from ships at ports and landing stages,
b) All ground activities related to air transport,
c) Agricultural crafts and activities in workshops and factories manufacturing implements, machinery
and spare parts for use in agricultural operations,
d) Construction work in agricultural establishments,
e) Work performed in parks and gardens open to the public or subsidiary to any establishment,
f) Work by seafood producers whose activities are not covered by the Maritime Labour Act and not
deemed to be agricultural work.
Differential remuneration for similar jobs or for work of equal value is not permissible.
Application of special protective provisions due to the employees sex shall not justify paying him (her) a
lower wage.
If the employer violates the above provisions in the execution or termination of the employment
relationship, the employee may demand compensation up his (her) four months wages plus other claims
of which he (she) has been deprived. Article 31 of the Trade Unions Act is reserved.
While the provisions of Article 20 are reserved, the burden of proof in regard to the violation of the above
stated provisions by the employer rests on the employee.
However, if the employee shows a strong likelihood of such a violation, the burden of proof that the
alleged violation has not materialised shall rest on the employer.
employer who is the party to the temporary employment relationship has the right to give commands to
the employee, he is under the obligation to provide the employee with the necessary training against
health and safety risks.
Temporary employment relationship may be established for a period not to exceed six months, and it may
be renewed twice, if required.
The employers (transferors) obligation to pay the employees wages shall continue. The employer with
whom temporary employment relationship is established (transferee) shall be jointly liable with the
employer (transferor) for the employees unpaid wages for the period during which the employee was
engaged in his establishment as well as for the duty to protect the employee and the payment of social
security contributions.
For the payment of damages, which the employee has inflicted due to his own fault in relation to the
establishment and employment, the employee shall be liable to the employer with whom temporary
employment relationship has been established.
Unless the contrary can be inferred from the temporary employment contract of the employee, the
provisions of this Act relating to other rights and obligations of the employee shall also apply to his
relationship with the employer with whom temporary employment relationship has been established.
In the event the employer who has taken over the employee temporarily is the party to a collective labour
dispute which has reached the strike and lock-out stage, the employee must not be engaged in work
during the execution of the strike and lock-out. The provisions of Article 39 of Act No. 2822 on Collective
Agreements, Strikes and Lock-outs are, however reserved. The transferor employer must engage such
employees in work at his own establishment.
In establishments where collective dismissals have taken place, no temporary employment relationship
may be established in jobs affected by the collective dismissal within the six-month period following the
collective dismissal.
with an open-ended contract performing the same or a similar job in a comparable establishment falling
into the same branch of activity will be considered as the comparable employee.
14 - WORK ON CALL
ARTICLE 14. - Employment relationship which foresees the performance of work by the employee upon
the emergence of the need for his services, as agreed to in the written employment contract, qualifies as
a part-time employment contract based on work on call.
In the event the length of the employees working time has not been determined by the parties in terms of
time slices such as a week, month or year, the weekly working time is considered to have been fixed as
twenty hours. The employee is entitled to wages irrespective of whether or not he is engaged in work
during the time announced for work on call.
Unless the contrary has been decided, the employer who has the right to request the employee to
perform his obligation to work upon call must make the said call at least four days in advance.
The employee is obliged to perform work upon the call communicated to him within the said time limit. If
the daily working time has not been decided in the contract, the employer must engage the employee in
work for a minimum of four consecutive hours at each call.
17 - NOTICE OF TERMINATION
ARTICLE 17. - Before terminating a continual employment contract made for an indefinite period, a notice
to the other party must be served by the terminating party.
The contract shall then terminate:
a) in the case of an employee whose employment has lasted less than six months, at the end of the
second week following the serving of notice to the other party;
b) in the case of an employee whose employment has lasted for six months or more but for less than
one-and-a-half years, at the end of the fourth week following the serving of notice to the other party;
c) in the case of an employee whose employment has lasted for one-and-a-half years or more but for
less than three years, at the end of the sixth week following the serving of notice to the other party;
d) in the case of an employee whose employment has lasted for more than three years, at the end of
the eighth week following the serving of notice to the other party.
These are minimum periods and may be increased by contracts between the parties.
The party who does not abide by the rule to serve notice shall pay compensation covering the wages
which correspond to the term of notice.
The employer may terminate the employment contract by paying in advance the wages corresponding to
the term of notice.
The employers non-observance of the rule of giving notice or his terminating the employment contract by
paying in advance the wages corresponding to the term of notice shall not preclude the application of
Articles 18,19,20 and 21 of this Act. In cases where employment contracts of employees who fall outside
the scope of Articles 18,19,20 and 21 of this Act by definition of subsection I of Article 18 have been
ended by the abusive exercise of the right to terminate, the employee shall be paid compensation
amounting to three times the wages for the term of notice. If the rule to give notice has not been observed
either, the employee must be paid an additional compensation (notice pay) in accordance with subsection
4 above.
In the computation of compensations to be paid in accordance with this Article as well as the advance
notice pay, all the monetary benefits plus other benefits which can be measured in monetary terms
emanating from the contract and from the law shall be taken into consideration in addition to the wage
defined in subsection 1 of Article 32.
19 - PROCEDURE IN TERMINATION
ARTICLE 19. - The notice of termination shall be given by the employer in written from involving the
reason for termination which must be specified in clear and precise terms.
The employment of an employee engaged under a contract with an open-ended term shall not be
terminated for reasons related to the workers conduct or performance before he is provided an
opportunity to defend himself against the allegations made. The employers right to break the employment
contract in accordance with Article 25/II of the Labour Act (for serious misconduct or malicious or immoral
behaviour of the employee) is, however, reserved.
ARTICLE 22. - Any change by the employer in working conditions based on the employment contract, on
the rules of work which are annexed to the contract, and on similar sources or workplace practices, may
be made only after a written notice is served by him to the employee. Changes that are not in conformity
with this procedure and not accepted by the employee in written form within six working days shall not
bind the employee. If the employee does not accept the offer for change within this period, the employer
may terminate the employment contract by respecting the term of notice, provided that he indicates in
written form that the proposed change is based on a valid reason or there is another valid reason for
termination. In this case the employee may file suit according to the provisions of Articles 17 and 21.
By mutual agreement the parties may always change working conditions. Change in working conditions
may not be made retroactive.
c) If the employer assaults or threatens the employee or a member of his family to commit an illegal
action, or commits an offence against the employee or a member of his family which is punishable with
imprisonment, or levels serious and groundless accusations against the employee in matters affecting his
honour;
d) If, in cases where the employee was sexually harassed by another employee or by third persons
in the establishment, adequate measures were not taken although the employer was informed of such
conduct;
e) If the employer fails to make out a wages account or to pay wages in conformity with the Labour
Act and the terms of the contract;
f) If, in cases where wages have been fixed at a piece or task rate, the employer assigns the
employee fewer pieces or a smaller task than was stipulated and fails to make good this deficit by
assigning him extra work on another day, or if he fails to implement the conditions of employment.
III. Force majeure
Force majeure necessitating the suspension of work for more than one week in the establishment
where the employee is working.
d) If the employee assaults or threatens the employer, a member of his family or a fellow employee,
or if he violates the provisions of Article 84;
e) If the employee commits a dishonest act against the employer, such as a breach of trust, theft or
disclosure of the employers trade secrets.;
f) If the employee commits an offence on the premises of the undertaking which is punishable with
seven days or more imprisonment without probation;
g) If, without the employers permission or a good reason, the employee is absent from work for two
consecutive days, or twice in one month on the working day following a rest day or on three working days
in any month;
h) If the employee refuses, after being warned, to perform his duties;
i) If either wilfully or through gross negligence the employee imperils safety or damages machinery,
equipment or other articles or materials in his care, whether these are the employers property or not, and
the damage cannot be offset by his thirty days pay.
III. Force majeure:
Force majeure preventing the employee from performing his duties for more than one week.
IV. If due to the employees being taken into custody or due to his arrest, his absence from work exceeds
the notice period indicated in Article 17.
The employee may file a lawsuit according to Articles 18,20 and 21 by claiming that the termination was
not in conformity with the subsections cited above.
26 - THE PRESCRIBED PERIOD WITHIN WHICH THE RIGHT TO SUMMARY TERMINATION MAY
BE EXERCISED
ARTICLE 26. - The right to break the employment contract for the immoral, dishonourable or malicious
behaviour of the other party may not be exercised after six working days of knowing the facts, and in any
event after one year following the commission of the act, has elapsed. The one year statutory limitation
shall not be applicable, however, if the employee has extracted material gains from the act concerned.
The employee or employer who has terminated the contract for any of the reasons mentioned above
within the period indicated in the above subsection is entitled to claim compensation from the other
party.
entitled.
If the employer makes the employee work during the time to be allowed for seeking new employment, he
must compensate the employee twice the amount of wages he is entitled to even for no work during the
time which should be allowed for seeking new employment.
28 - CERTIFICATE OF EMPLOYMENT
ARTICLE 28. - The employer must furnish the employee leaving employment with a certificate stating the
nature and duration of employment.
The employee who suffers a loss or the new employer who has recruited him may claim compensation
from the previous employer for the latters failure to furnish the certificate on due time or for the incorrect
information contained in the certificate.
Such certificate is exempt from taxes and fees.
29 - COLLECTIVE DISMISSALS
ARTICLE 29. - When the employer contemplates collective terminations for reasons of an economic,
technological, structural or similar nature necessitated by the requirements of the enterprise, the
establishment or activity, he shall provide the union shop-stewards, the relevant regional directorate of
labour and the Public Employment Office with written information at least 30 days prior to the intended
lay-off.
A collective dismissal occurs when,
a) in establishments employing between 20 and 100 employees, a minimum of 10 employees; and
b) in establishments employing between 101 and 300 employees, a minimum of 10 percent of
employees; and
c) in establishments employing 301 and more workers, a minimum of 30 employees, are to be
terminated in accordance with Article 17 on the same date or at different dates within one month.
The said written communication shall include the reason for the contemplated layoff, the number and
groups to be affected by the lay-off as well as the length of time the procedure of terminations is likely to
take.
Consultations with union shop-stewards to take place after the said notification shall deal with measures
to be taken to avert or to reduce the terminations as well as measures to mitigate or minimize their
adverse effects on the workers concerned. A document showing that the said consultations have been
held shall be drawn up at the end of the meeting.
Notices of termination shall take effect 30 days after the notification of the regional directorate of labour
concerning the intended lay-offs.
In the event of closing the entire establishment which involves a definite and permanent stoppage of
activities, the employer shall notify, at least 30 days prior to the intended closure, only the regional
directorate of labour and the Public Employment Office and shall post the relevant announcement at the
establishment.
If in seasonal and campaign work layoffs are carried out in conjunction with the nature of such work,
employers share of contributions according to Act No. 506 on Social Insurance, and the Treasury shall
pay the remaining fifty percent.
In the event of violations of this clause the fines which will be collected according to Article 101 shall be
appropriated as income to a special account of the Turkish Employment Organisation (-Kur) which will
be opened by the Ministry of Finance. The money thus collected in this account shall be transferred to the
Turkish Employment Organisation to be spent for the vocational training and rehabilitation of the disabled
or for promoting self-employment businesses or similar projects for such people.
The subject matter and amounts of such appropriations shall be decided, under the coordination of the
general Directorate of the Turkish Employment Organisation, by a committee to be composed of a
representative from the general Directorate of Labour of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security,
General Directorate of Occupational Health and Safety, Directorate of the Administration for the Disabled,
General Directorate of Penal and Prison Institutions of the Ministry of Justice, the Confederation of the
Disabled of Turkey and top level organisations of labour and employers with the largest membership. The
working methods of the committee will be determined by a regulation to be issued by the Ministry of
Labour and Social Security.
CHAPTER 3 "WAGES"
32 - THE WAGE AND ITS REMUNERATION
ARTICLE 32. - Wage is, in general terms, the amount of money to be paid in cash by an employer or by a
third party to a person in return for work performed by him.
As a rule the wage shall be paid in Turkish money (legal tender) at the establishment or shall be
deposited into a specially opened bank account. If the wage has been decided in terms of a foreign
currency, it may be paid in Turkish money according to the currency rate on the date of payment.
Wage payment must not be made in bonds, coupons or another paper claimed to represent the national
currency valid in the country or by any other means whatsoever.
Wage may be paid on a monthly basis at the latest. The time of remuneration may be reduced down to
one week by employment contract or by collective agreement.
Upon the expiration of the employment contract, employees wage claims as well as all the benefits based
on the employment contract and law must be paid in full.
No wage payments may be made to employees in bars and similar entertainment areas where alcoholic
beverages are served as well as in retail stores, with the exception of employees working in such
establishments.
Statutory limitation on wage claims is five years.
the employees family whom he is required to support shall not be included in this sum. This provision
shall apply without prejudice to the rights of persons entitled to alimony.
Deductions made in this way must not exceed three days wages in any one month, or in the case of
piece work or amount of work to be done , the wages earned by the employee in two days.
These deductions shall be credited within one month to the account of the Ministry of Labour and Social
Security in a bank established in Turkey and must be designated by the Ministry for use in the training of
and social services for employees. Every employer must maintain a separate account in his
establishment showing such deductions. A committee presided over by the Minister of Labour and Social
Security and including employees representatives shall decide where and in what amounts the fines thus
collected are to be used. Rules for the establishment and working methods of this committee shall be
indicated in a regulation to be issued.
39 - MINIMUM WAGE
ARTICLE 39. - With the object of regulating the economic and social conditions of all employees working
under an employment contract, either covered or uncovered by this Act, the minimum limits of wages shall
be determined every two years at the latest by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security through the
Minimum Wage Fixing Board.
The Minimum Wage Fixing Board, presided over by one of its members to be designated by the Ministry
of Labour and Social Security, shall be composed of the General Director of Labour or his deputy, the
General Director of Occupational Health and Safety or his deputy, the chairman of the Economic Statistics
Institute of the State Institute for Statistics or his deputy, representative of the Under- Secretariat of
Treasury, the head of the relevant department of the State Planning Organisation or his representative,
five employees representatives from different branches of activity selected by the highest ranking
labour organisation representing the majority of employees and five employers representatives selected
by the employer organisation representing the majority of employers. The Minimum Wage Fixing Board
meets with at least ten members present. The Board takes its decisions by majority vote. In the event of a
tie, the chairman has a casting vote.
Decisions of the Board are final. Decisions become effective upon their publication in the Official Gazette.
The meeting and working methods, and rules that shall apply to fixing the minimum wage as well as the
honorariums to be paid to the chairman, members and the reporter of the Board shall be set out in a
regulation to be issued jointly by the Ministry of Finance and the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
Secretarial services of the Minimum Wage Fixing Board shall be handled by the Ministry of Labour and
Social Security.
40 - HALF WAGE
ARTICLE 40. - The employee who can not work or who is not engaged in work due to the reasons set
forth in subsections III of Articles 24 and 25 shall be paid, up to one week, half his wages for each day.
41 - OVERTIME WAGE
ARTICLE 41. - Overtime work may be performed for purposes such as the countrys interest, the nature
of the operation or the need to increase output. Overtime work is work which, under conditions specified
in this Act, exceeds forty-five hours a week. In cases where the principle of balancing is applied in
accordance with Article 63, work which exceeds a total of forty-five hours a week shall not be deemed
overtime work, provided the average working time of the employee does not exceed the normal weekly
working time.
Wages for each hour of overtime shall be remunerated at one and a half times the normal hourly rate.
In cases where the weekly working time has been set by contract at less than forty-five hours, work that
exceeds the average weekly working time done in conduction with the principles stated above and which
may last only up to forty-five hours weekly is deemed to be work at extra hours. In work at extra hours,
each extra hour shall be remunerated at one and a quarter times the normal hourly rate.
If the employee who has worked overtime or at extra hours so wishes, rather than receiving overtime pay
he may use, as free time, one-hour and thirty minutes for each hour worked overtime and one hour and
fifteen minutes for each extra hour worked.
The employee shall use the free time to which he is entitled within six months, within his working time and
without any deduction in his wages.
No overtime work shall be done in work of short or limited duration due to health reasons mentioned in
the last subsection of Article 63 as well as in night work stated in Article 69.
The employees consent shall be required for overtime work.
Total overtime work shall not be more than two hundred seventy hours in a year.
Overtime work and its methods shall be indicated in a regulation to be issued.
45 - PROTECTED RIGHTS
ARTICLE 45. - No provisions may be inserted into collective agreements or employment contracts
contrary to the rights granted to employees on the weekly rest day, national and public holidays, paid
vacations and to the rights of employees working under a percentage system recognised to them by this
Act.
Any vested rights based on law, collective agreement, employment contract or custom which provide
employees with more favourable rights and benefits shall be protected.
48 - TEMPORARY DISABILITY
ARTICLE 48. - Where employees must be paid temporary disability benefits, pay for national holidays,
public holidays and weekly rest days which coincide with the duration of temporary disability shall be
remunerated, in proportion to the criterion of temporary disability, by the social security institutions or
funds making such payments.
The disability compensation paid by the Social Insurance Organisation due to sickness shall be deducted
from the wage paid to the salaried employee remunerated on a monthly basis.
51 - RERCENTAGES WAGES
ARTICLE 51. - In hotels, restaurants, places of entertainment and quick-lunch stands serving alcoholic
beverages and similar workplaces where a percentage wage system is used, the employer shall pay all
the employees in the establishment such sums of money, without deduction, as are obtained by the
employers adding to the customers bill a percentage service charge and any amounts of money
voluntarily left by customers with the employer or collected under the employers direction.
The employer or his representative is under the obligation to produce documentary evidence that, upon
receiving these sums of money, he has apportioned the exact amounts to his employees without
deduction.
Provisions shall be made in a regulation, to be prepared by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security for
the principles and rates to be observed in the apportionment of sums collected by means of percentage
additions among the employees according to the nature of the jobs performed.
representative elected by the employees from amongst themselves. The form and application methods of
such documents shall be indicated in employment contracts or collective agreements.
same ministry, state economic enterprises, banks and organisations established by authorisation under
special laws as well as the subordinate establishments of such banks and organizations
Other kinds of leave, with or without pay, granted by the employer during the year or taken by the
employee as convalescent or sick leave must not be deducted from annual leave.
National holidays, weekly rest days and public holidays which coincide with the duration of annual leave
may not be included in the annual leave period.
If the employee so requests, the employer must grant him up to four days leave without pay in order to
make good his round-trip travel time, on condition that he provides documentary evidence that he is
spending his annual leave at a place other than that where the establishment is located. The employer
must keep a roster showing the paid annual leaves of the employees working in his establishment.
In general terms, working time is forty-five hours maximum weekly. Unless the contrary has been decided,
working time shall be divided equally by the days of the week worked at the establishment. (Additional Sentence: 10/9/20146552/7 md; Amended Sentence:: 4/4/2015-6645/36 md.) Working time for miners working underground is maximum 7,5 hours
daily and 37.5 hours weekly.
Provided that the parties have so agreed, working time may be divided by the days of the week worked in different forms on
condition that the daily working time must not exceed eleven hours. In this case, within a time period of two months, the average
weekly working time of the employee shall not exceed normal weekly working time.
This balancing (equalising) period may be increased up to four months by collective agreement.
The application methods of working time in line with the principles mentioned above shall be indicated in a regulation to be issued
by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
The types of work where the daily working time must be seven and half hours maximum or less for health reasons shall be indicated
in a regulation to be prepared jointly by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security and the Ministry of Health.
64 - COMPENSATORY WORK
ARTICLE 64. - In cases where time worked has been considerably lower than the normal working time or
where operations are stopped entirely for reasons of suspending work due to force majeure or on the
days before or after the national and public holidays or where the employee is granted time off upon his
request, the employer may call upon compensatory work within two months in order to compensate for
the time lost due to unworked periods. Such work shall not be considered overtime work or work at extra
hours.
Compensatory work shall not exceed three hours daily, and must not exceed the maximum daily working
time in any case.
Compensatory work shall not be carried out on holidays.
68 - REST BREAKS
ARTICLE 68. Employees shall be allowed a rest break approximately in the middle of the working day fixed with due
regard to the customs of the area and to the requirements of the work in the following manner;
a) fifteen minutes, when the work lasts four hours or less,
b) half an hour, when the work lasts longer than four hours and up to seven and a half hours (seven and
a half included),
c) one hour, when the work lasts more than seven and a half hours.
These are minimum durations and the full period must be allowed at each break.
These break periods may, however, be split up by contracts where the climate, season, local custom or
nature of the work so requires.
Breaks may be taken at the same or varying times by the employees at the establishment.
The breaks shall not be reckoned as part of the working time.
The employee whose shift will be changed must not be engaged on the other shift unless allowed a minimum rest break of eleven
hours.
(Additional clause: 4/4/2015-6645/38) The scope of art, culture and advertisement activities, the
permission to be given to children, work and rest periods and working environments and conditions
according to age groups, procedures and principles as regard to payment of wage shall be determined in
a regulation of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in consultation with Ministry of Family And
Social Policies, Ministry of Culture, Ministry of Health, Ministry of Education and Radio And Television
High Council.
If deemed necessary in the physicians report, the pregnant employee may be assigned to lighter duties.
In this case no reduction shall be made in her wage.
If the female employee so wishes, she shall be granted an unpaid leave of up to six months after the
expiry of the sixteen weeks, or in the case multiple pregnancy, after the expiry of the eighteen weeks
indicated above. This period shall not be considered in determining the employees one year of service for
entitlement to annual leave with pay.
Female employees shall be allowed a total of one and a half hour nursing leave in order to enable them to
feed their children below the age of one. The employee shall decide herself at what times and in how
many instalments she will use this leave. The length of the nursing leave shall be treated as part of the
daily working time.
76 - REGULATIONS
ARTICLE 76. In jobs and establishments where, due to their nature, the application of daily and weekly working times is
not possible as foreseen in Article 63, procedures to provide for the implementation of working time in a
manner not to exceed the legal daily working time and by allowing an equalisation (balancing) period of
up to six months shall be indicated in the regulations to be issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social
Security.
In works where, due to their nature, operations have to be carried on continuously by the disposal of
successive or rotating shifts of employees, special principles and procedures concerning working time,
weekly rest days, night work and mandatory rest breaks shall be indicated in regulations to be issued by
the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
The employer shall pay his employees their wages or employ them on other jobs in accordance with their
occupational skills or status, without any reduction in wages, if they remain without work because of the
suspension of the machinery, installations or working arrangements or the closing of the establishment in
accordance with the first subsection of this article.
83 - RIGHTS OF EMPLOYEE
ARTICLE 83. In connection to occupational health and safety in an establishment, any employee faced with an
imminent, urgent and life-threatening danger which may do harm to his health or endanger his bodily
integrity may make an application to the occupational health and safety board with a request for the
determination of the case and a decision for the adoption of necessary measures. The board shall hold an
urgent meeting and decide on the same day, and lay down the case in a written report. The decision shall
be communicated to the employee in written form.
In establishments where there are no occupational health and safety boards, the request shall be made to
the employer or the employers representative. The employee may request the determination of the case
and demand a written report to that effect. The employer or his representative must give a written reply.
In the event the board takes a decision consistent with a employees request, the employee may refrain
from working until the necessary occupational health and safety measure is taken.
The employees wages and other rights shall be reserved during the period he refrains from working.
In establishments where the necessary measures have not been taken despite the decision of the
occupational health and safety board and the employees request, employees may terminate, with no
obligation to respect the notice term, their employment contracts with a definite or indefinite period, within
the six working days in accordance with subsection (I) of Article 24 of this Act.
Provisions of Article 79 of this Act shall not apply in the event of suspension of operations or the closing of
the establishment.
b) employees obliged to consume alcoholic beverages owing to the requirements of the job in
establishments which hold a license to sell liquor in closed containers or in open cups,
c) employees allowed to consume alcoholic beverages with customers owing to the requirements of the
job.
89 - OTHER REGULATIONS
ARTICLE 89. After taking the opinion of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security may also
issue regulations foreseeing
a) the medical examination of employees before being admitted to employment in jobs other than those
which are arduous and dangerous,
b) a general medical examination of employees in certain jobs at certain intervals,
c) preclusion of employees from certain jobs where their health conditions are affected adversely or
where their work does harm to their products, to general health or to other employees with whom they
work,
d) specification of the situations and conditions in establishments where bathing, sleeping, resting and
dining facilities as well as employee housing and labour training premises are to be established.
For the purpose of implementing Article 91, the administrative authorities and the competent officials
responsible for following up, supervising and inspecting working conditions shall be entitled, whenever
they deem it necessary, to inspect or examine at any time, subject to the provisions of Article 93,
establishments, their administration, registers, records, accounts and other documents relating to working
arrangements, the equipment, tools, apparatus, raw materials, manufactured products and all materials
and accessories required for carrying on operations, and all arrangements and facilities for the health,
safety, cultural development, recreation, resting and boarding of employees, and if they find any actions
constituting an offence under this Act, to forbid them in the manner prescribed by the labour inspection
regulations to be issued by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security.
During an inspection it shall be the duty of the employer, his representatives, the employees and any
other person concerned to attend whenever summoned by the authorities or officials responsible for
inspection, to give them any information requested, to present for their inspection and, if necessary, to
hand over all relevant documents and records, to provide them with every assistance in the exercise of
their functions as indicated in the first paragraph, and to comply, without any attempt at evasion, with all
relevant orders and requests received in this connection.
The reports prepared by the authorities and officials empowered to follow up, supervise and inspect
working conditions shall be held as valid until they are disproven.
operating certificate which must have been granted by the Ministry of Labour and Social Security in
accordance with pertinent labour legislation.
Municipalities and other authorities may not give opening and operating licences to establishments which
have not yet been granted opening and operating certificates by the Ministry of Labour and Social
Security.
Public institutions and organisations shall communicate to the competent regional directorate of labour
the results of their occupational health and safety inspections and supervisions at establishments as well
as the actions they will take regarding these establishments.
Municipalities and other authorities competent to give permits for setting up and opening establishments
shall communicate every month to the relevant regional directorates of labour lists of names and
addresses of employers and establishments for which they have issued permits as well as the nature of
the work to be performed until the fifteenth day of the following month.
97 - POLICE ASSISTANCE
ARTICLE 97. - On application by the competent labour inspectors responsible for supervision and
inspection of establishments and with a view to ensuring the application of the provisions of this Act, the
police authorities shall provide all necessary assistance to enable the said labour inspectors to perform
their duties.
ARTICLE 102. a) An employer or his representative shall be liable to a fine of three hundred million liras for each
aggrieved employee and for each month if he deliberately fails to pay the full wages to which the
employee is entitled under this Act specified in Article 32, or in the collective agreement or the
employment contract, or if he fails to pay the minimum wage in full fixed by the commission as defined in
Article 39.
b) An employer or his representative shall be liable to a fine of two hundred million liras if he fails to
deliver an employee the wage slip in contravention of Article 37 or if he makes deductions from the
employees wages as fines or if he fails to specify the reasons or to produce the accounts for such
deductions in contravention of Article 38, or fails to deliver the document mentioned in Article 52.
c) An employer or his representative shall be liable to a fine of one hundred million liras for each
employee in the following categories: if he fails to pay the employee overtime wages indicated in Article
41; if he fails to allow the employee to use the free time to which he is entitled within six months; and if he
does not obtain the employees approval for work at extra hours.
The employer or his representative shall be liable to a fine of five billion liras;
a) if he fails to discharge the duties envisaged in Article 92, or
b) if he fails to comply with the prohibitions listed in Article 96 of this Act.
Persons who obstruct the performance and conclusion of the labour inspectors supervision and
inspection work based on this Act as well as on other legislation shall be liable to a fine of five billion liras,
in addition to any other penalty which may be inflicted by law for a different offence.
ARTICLE 110. - Special procedures and principles concerning the scope and nature of janitors work as
well as their working time, weekly rest day, national and public holidays, right to annual leave with pay
and the janitors dwellings shall be laid down in a regulation to be prepared by the Ministry of Labour and
Social Security.
ARTICLE 115. - With a view to meeting the needs of employees and their families, the employers shall
assign adequate space for consumption cooperatives to be established by employees in establishments
employing a minimum of one hundred fifty employees.
119 - REGULATIONS
ARTICLE 119. - The regulations envisaged by this Act shall be issued within six months of its
publication.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 1.
All other references made to Act No. 1475 in other legislation shall be deemed to have been made to this
Act.
References to Articles 16,17 and 26 of Act No. 1475 made in Article 120 of this Act as well as in the first
and second subsections of the first paragraph and in the eleventh paragraph of Article 14 of Act No. 1475
which has been left in force shall be deemed to have been made to Articles 24,25 and 32 of this Act.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 2. Provisions of regulations and bylaws issued in accordance with Act No.
1475 which are not contrary to this Act shall remain in force until the issuance of new regulations.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 3. The decision on minimum wages taken in accordance with Act No. 1475
shall remain in force until the fixing of the minimum wage according to Article 39 of this Act.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 4. The right severance pay mentioned in transitional Article 6 of this Act for
those to whom Article 13 of the Labour act No. 3008 is not applicable shall commence from the date 12
August 1967.
Severance pay entitlements of those who are covered by this Act for the first time shall begin as of the
date on which this Act comes into force.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 5. The ratios envisaged in Article 25 of Act No. 1475 as well as in paragraph
(B) of the annex article I of Act No. 3713 shall (be valid) remain in force until they are redefined by the
Council of Ministers in accordance with Article 30 of this Act.
TRANSITIONAL ARTICLE 6. A severance pay fund shall be established for the severance pay of
employees. Employees entitlements to severance pay in view of Article 14 of the Labour Act no. 1475
shall be protected until the passage of the new Act relating to severance pay.
122 - ENFORCEMENT
The Council of Ministers shall be responsible for the administration of this Act.