---
title: "Turkiye Termination & Severance 2026"
description: "Turkiye termination 2026: 30 days of gross wage per year of service, notice from 14 days, job-security protection at 6 months service."
canonical: https://www.teamed.global/country-hiring-guides/turkiye/termination-and-severance
---

Turkiye · Termination child

Served by Teamed vetted partner-entity network in Turkiye

# How do you *terminate an employee in Turkiye* in 2026?

Every dismissal in Turkiye triggers kidem tazminati: 30 days of gross pay per year of service, due after just 1 year. The per-year ceiling is TRY 64,948.77 for H1 2026, and it updates every six months.

Last reviewed 12 June 2026 · Turkiye guide

![A warm morning view over the Bosphorus waterway in Istanbul, with low light on historic domes and minarets.](/images/country-guides/turkiye-termination-severance.webp)

Illustration · Istanbul, Turkiye

Answer.cite this

Turkiye requires a valid reason to dismiss a permanent employee after 6 months of service. You cannot simply pay someone out and walk away.

Severance (kidem tazminati) is 30 days of gross wage for each full year of service. It kicks in after 1 year. The gross wage used is capped at TRY 64,948.77 per year of service for H1 2026. That ceiling is reviewed every six months.

Notice runs in four bands under [Labour Law No. 4857](https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/64083/TUR64083%20English.pdf). The shortest band is 14 days for under six months of service. The longest is 56 days for over three years. You can pay it out instead of working it.

Final pay is due on the effective date of termination. Turkiye has no fixed calendar-day deadline in the law, but a delay is actionable. Pay everything on the last day to avoid interest claims.

![A signed employment contract resting on a wooden desk beside a cup of Turkish tea.](/images/country-guides/turkiye-termination-polaroid-1.webp)

Signed and binding

## What are the valid grounds for dismissal in Turkiye?

You need a valid reason to dismiss. Job-security protection (is guvencesi) applies once an employee has 6 months of service and you employ 30 or more workers. Employees without that protection still get severance and notice, but they cannot seek reinstatement.

Valid reasons fall into two groups: reasons about the employee (conduct, performance, capacity) and reasons about the business (economic, technological, or structural necessity). You cannot dismiss for pregnancy, union membership, whistleblowing, or disability. Those dismissals are not valid under [Labour Law No. 4857](https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/64083/TUR64083%20English.pdf).

Turkish law splits valid grounds into two categories. First, **just cause (hakli neden)** allows immediate termination without notice or severance. This covers serious misconduct: theft, fraud, assault, disclosing confidential information, or being absent for two or more consecutive days without excuse. Just cause is a high bar. If the facts do not clearly meet it, treat the dismissal as a notice-based termination to avoid dispute.

Second, **valid cause (gecerli neden)** covers performance that does not meet the required standard after a genuine chance to improve, or a genuine business need such as restructuring, technological change, or economic contraction. You must document both the reason and the process.

### Protected categories

Dismissal is not valid when the reason is pregnancy, maternity or paternity leave, trade union activity, whistleblowing, military service, disability, or religious and ethnic background. A dismissed employee in a protected category may apply for reinstatement. If a court finds the reason invalid and the employer refuses reinstatement, compensation of up to 32 weeks of wages applies under Article 21 of the Labour Act.

### Mediation first

From 2018, any reinstatement claim must go through mandatory mediation before a court will hear it. The employee must apply to a mediator within one month of receiving the termination notice. If mediation fails, the employee has two weeks to file in court. Skipping mediation means the court throws out the case, but the employer still faces cost risk from the process.

1. Confirm the valid reason Anchor the dismissal to a valid or just cause under Labour Law No. 4857. Document the facts before taking any action. Without a valid reason, a protected employee can seek reinstatement.
2. Issue the written notice Serve a written termination notice stating the reason. The notice period runs from the day the employee receives it. You may pay out the notice period instead of requiring the employee to work it.
3. Calculate kidem tazminati Work out the severance using the last gross wage, the current semi-annual ceiling, and the number of full years of service. Prorated partial years are included. Check whether the H1 or H2 ceiling applies.
4. Notify ISKUR if thresholds are met If the dismissal is part of a collective redundancy, send written notice to ISKUR and union representatives at least the required number of days before the first dismissal. Keep a dated copy of every notification.
5. Settle all final pay on the last day Pay final salary, notice compensation if paid out, kidem tazminati, and accrued leave on the effective termination date. Apply stamp duty to the severance element and reconcile SGK contributions.

## How much notice must you give in Turkiye?

Notice in Turkiye runs in four bands. The band depends on how long the employee has worked for you. You can pay out the notice period rather than require the employee to work it.

The same bands apply when an employee resigns. Both sides owe the same notice. You may not contract to less than the law requires.

| Length of continuous service | Minimum notice |
| --- | --- |
| Under 6 months | 14 days |
| 6 months to 18 months | 28 days |
| 18 months to 36 months | 42 days |
| Over 36 months | 56 days |

These are the minimums set by [Article 17 of Labour Law No. 4857](https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/64083/TUR64083%20English.pdf). Contracts may set longer notice; they may not go below these figures. Senior roles often carry three to six months contractual notice.

### Paying out notice (ihbar tazminati)

You can pay the employee their gross wages for the notice period rather than have them work it. This is called ihbar tazminati (notice compensation). It is fully taxable as employment income and must be paid at the same time as final salary. Note that paying out notice does not affect the employee's right to severance: both are owed independently.

### During probation

The standard probation period is 2 months. Under a collective agreement it can reach 4 months. Either party may end employment during probation without notice or severance if the contract expressly allows it. Without that clause, the banded notice schedule applies and the shortest band (14 days) governs.

## How is kidem tazminati (severance) calculated in Turkiye?

Kidem tazminati is 30 days of the employee's last gross wage for each full year of service. Partial years are paid on a prorated basis.

Service must reach 1 full year before severance is owed. The gross wage used is capped at TRY 64,948.77 per year of service for H1 2026. That ceiling changes every six months.

The severance formula comes from [Article 14 of the old Labour Law No. 1475](https://www.sozercizmeci.com.tr/severance-pay-under-turkish-labor-law/), which stays in force for severance even though the rest of that act was replaced. The formula is straightforward: 30 days of gross wage, multiplied by full years of service, with partial years prorated.

Gross wage for this calculation includes base salary and all regular, continuous payments: food and transport allowances, housing allowances, and recurring bonuses. One-off or irregular payments are excluded.

### The H1 2026 per-year ceiling

The gross wage component that feeds the formula is capped at TRY 64,948.77 per year of service for H1 2026. The ceiling is set by the Ministry of Labour and reviewed every six months; the H2 2026 figure had not been announced as of this writing. If your employee earns more than TRY 64,948.77 per year, the severance calculation uses the cap, not the actual wage.

### When severance is owed and when it is not

Severance is owed when you terminate without just cause, when you terminate for valid business reasons, when the employee resigns due to military service, marriage (for women, within one year), or reaching retirement age. Severance is **not** owed when you dismiss for just cause, when the employee resigns without a qualifying reason, or when an employee is dismissed during their probation period under a probation clause.

### Tax treatment

Kidem tazminati is exempt from income tax but is subject to stamp duty at 0.759%. It is not subject to social security contributions.

## Collective redundancy rules and authority notification

Turkish law has a three-tier headcount trigger for collective redundancy. The smallest band starts at 10 dismissals within 30 days. The rule applies when your total workforce is between 20 and 100 employees.

You must notify the Turkish Employment Agency (ISKUR) and trade union representatives at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect.

ISKUR · Collective Dismissal under Article 29

Three thresholds apply within any 30 days-day period: 10 or more dismissals in a 20 to 100-employee workplace; 10% or more of the workforce in a 101 to 300-employee workplace; 30 or more dismissals where total headcount exceeds 300. Written notice must reach ISKUR and union shop stewards at least 30 days before the first dismissal.

Source: [Collective Redundancy in Accordance with Law No. 4857, Article 29](https://murathukuk.com/EN,431/collective-redundancy--in-accordance-with-law-no-4857-on-employment.html)

Unlike the UK, Turkish law does not set a separate longer consultation period for larger batches. The single 30 days advance-notification requirement applies across all three tiers. What changes with headcount is the trigger threshold, not the notice length.

### What the notification must contain

The written notice to ISKUR must explain the reason for the redundancies, the number and categories of affected workers, the timeframe, and any selection criteria. Unions and employee representatives receive a copy on the same day.

### Severance still applies

Collective redundancy does not change individual entitlements. Each dismissed employee with 1 or more years of service still receives kidem tazminati at 30 days of gross wage per year, plus any notice compensation owed.

## Mutual termination agreements in Turkiye

A mutual termination (ikale sozlesmesi) is a written agreement where you and the employee agree to end the employment contract. It is a common route for clean exits, particularly for senior roles.

For the agreement to be valid, the employee must receive a genuine benefit beyond what the law already guarantees. Courts have struck down agreements where the payment was simply equal to the legal minimum.

Turkish courts review mutual termination agreements carefully. The Supreme Court of Appeals has set a clear test: the employee must receive something they would not get under a standard termination. In practice this means a payment above the statutory kidem tazminati floor, extended benefits, a favourable reference, or other agreed terms.

The employee must also be given enough time to consider the offer. Presenting the agreement under pressure, or at the same time as dismissal papers, is grounds for the court to set it aside and treat the exit as an unlawful dismissal.

### Practical structure

A well-drafted mutual termination agreement covers: the agreed termination date, the payment breakdown (kidem tazminati at or above the statutory rate, notice compensation, any ex gratia amount), a waiver of all claims arising from the employment relationship, and a reference clause if agreed. The employee should sign with independent advice available, or at minimum after a cooling-off period written into the document.

### Tax treatment of additional payments

Kidem tazminati paid under a mutual termination carries the same tax treatment as in a standard termination: exempt from income tax, subject to stamp duty. Any amount above the statutory severance ceiling is taxable as employment income.

## How Teamed runs Turkiye terminations

Teamed is your legal [employer of record](/lp/employer-of-record) in Turkiye. The cost is [**from $599 per employee per month**](/pricing), with **zero FX mark-up** in any currency. All termination procedures run through Teamed's Turkiye team.

We calculate kidem tazminati, check the H1 or H2 ceiling in force at the time, handle the ISKUR notification if headcount thresholds are met, and reconcile final pay. All of it runs on **one platform**.

**Real HR and legal experts** handle your Turkiye hires, from the first offer letter through every SGK declaration and month-end payroll run. **An actual person**, not a ticket queue. There is **no setup fee** and **no exit fee**, and employer cost **passes through at cost, itemised** on every invoice.

The split of responsibilities under EOR for Turkiye terminations:

| What Teamed handles | What the client decides |
| --- | --- |
| Notice band calculation against the Labour Law No. 4857 schedule | Whether to dismiss, the reason, and on what timeline |
| Kidem tazminati calculation using the current H1 or H2 ceiling | Whether to pay above the statutory minimum |
| Just-cause vs valid-cause guidance and documentation support | Performance standards and what counts as a breach |
| ISKUR notification if collective redundancy thresholds are triggered | Selection criteria in a collective process |
| Mutual termination agreement drafting with qualified local legal partners | The commercial terms and any ex gratia amount |
| Final payroll: notice, severance, accrued leave, stamp duty, SGK | Communication with the wider team |

Turkiye's semi-annual severance ceiling means the correct cap depends on when the termination falls in the year. Teamed tracks the H1 and H2 announcements and applies the right figure automatically, so you are never paying the wrong amount or exposing yourself to an underpayment claim.

EOR payroll, contractor onboarding, and entity setup all live on **one platform**. A Turkiye hire who grows into a senior role keeps their record, and they can **graduate** from EOR to your own Turkiye entity without switching systems. Run the [Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator) to see the month the model flips. EOR is the right model for a first Turkiye hire, **until it isn't**. Start from the Turkiye hiring overview; each guide here takes one layer of Turkish employment law.

Key sources: [Labour Law No. 4857 (ILO translation)](https://natlex.ilo.org/dyn/natlex2/natlex2/files/download/64083/TUR64083%20English.pdf), [Severance pay under Turkish labour law](https://www.sozercizmeci.com.tr/severance-pay-under-turkish-labor-law/), and [CMS Expert Guide to Dismissals: Turkiye](https://cms.law/en/int/expert-guides/cms-expert-guide-to-dismissals/turkey).

## Frequently asked questions

How much notice must you give an employee in Turkiye?

Notice runs in four bands under Article 17 of Labour Law No. 4857. Under six months of service: 14 days. Six to eighteen months: 28 days. Eighteen to thirty-six months: 42 days. Over three years: 56 days. The same bands apply when an employee resigns. You may pay out the notice period rather than require the employee to work it.

What is kidem tazminati and when is it owed?

Kidem tazminati is Turkish severance pay: 30 days of the employee's last gross wage for each full year of service, prorated for partial years. It is owed after 1 year of continuous service when you terminate without just cause, or when the employee resigns for a qualifying reason such as retirement. The gross wage used is capped at TRY 64,948.77 per year of service for H1 2026.

When does job-security (is guvencesi) protection apply in Turkiye?

Job-security protection applies when an employee has 6 months of service and you employ at least 30 workers. A protected employee dismissed without valid grounds may apply for reinstatement. If you refuse reinstatement after a court order, compensation of up to 32 weeks of wages is owed under Article 21 of the Labour Act. Employees below the threshold still receive severance and notice but cannot seek reinstatement.

When do collective redundancy rules apply in Turkiye?

Three thresholds apply within any 30 days-day window: 10 or more dismissals in a 20 to 100-employee workplace; 10% of the workforce in a 101 to 300-employee workplace; or 30 or more dismissals where headcount exceeds 300. You must notify ISKUR and trade union representatives at least 30 days before the first dismissal takes effect.

Is final pay due immediately in Turkiye?

Turkish law does not set a specific calendar-day deadline for final pay. Court precedent and practice require all final amounts, including salary, notice compensation, kidem tazminati, and accrued leave, to be paid on or as close to the termination date as possible. A delay is actionable and can attract interest claims. Settle everything on the last working day to avoid exposure.

Teamed Legal Operations

The kidem tazminati ceiling is the figure most employers miss. It updates every six months and the H2 rate is not announced until mid-year. If you process a termination in June using the H1 ceiling and the H2 rate was already in effect, you have an underpayment claim. We track the announcement and apply the correct ceiling automatically.

A note from Tom Price-Daniel

In Turkiye, kidem tazminati is owed after just one year of service and it never caps on total years.  
The per-year ceiling sits at TRY 64,948.77 for H1 2026 and changes again in July.  
Most employers find out about the update when an employee challenges the amount.  
EOR is right for Turkiye, until it isn't.

Tom Price-Daniel · Co-founder, Teamed

## Related Turkiye guides

- Hiring in Turkiye, overviewparent
- [Greece termination and severance](/country-hiring-guides/greece/termination-and-severance)neighbour
- [Employer of Record overview](/lp/employer-of-record)core
- [Pricing, Zero FX Fixed](/pricing)core
- [EOR vs Entity Crossover Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/crossover-calculator)tool
- [Employer Cost Calculator](https://www.teamed.global/tools/employer-cost)tool
- [Talk to an expert](https://www.teamed.global/contact)CTA

A note on this page.

This is a guide, not legal, tax or accounting advice. Rules change and vary by jurisdiction, so verify current requirements with the relevant authorities, the Turkish Ministry of Labour and Social Security and ISKUR for Turkiye, or speak to a qualified professional before relying on any specific framework. The kidem tazminati ceiling updates semi-annually; the H2 2026 figure was not yet announced at the time of writing. Verify the current ceiling before calculating any severance payment.