Turkey has updated secondary legislation to reflect changes which were made in 2014 and 2016 to the paid leave provisions of Labour Law number 4857. The changes apply to employee entitlements to take leave in parts, as well as principal/sub-employer arrangements and obligations.

Accordingly, the Regulation on Annual Paid Leave has now been updated to state:

  • An employee’s annual paid leave can be used in parts, provided employees take at least one part of their leave in a period of more than ten days.
  • Annual paid leave for sub-employees is calculated from the respective employee’s first date of employment at the respective workplace, even if the sub-employer changes.
  • Principal employers must check whether sub-employees can use their annual paid leave and ensure that sub-employees use their annual paid leave in the relevant year.
  • Sub-employers must provide the principal employer with a copy of documents to certify that sub-employees have used their annual paid leave periods.
  • Employees working underground are given four extra days of annual paid leave.

Please see this link for the full text of the Amendment Regulation of the Regulation on Annual Paid Leave, published in Official Gazette number 30158 on 18 August 2017 (only available in Turkish).