Employment law · Turkey
Speak to a sick leave lawyer in Turkey about your employment dispute
Sick leave problems sit where employment law meets medical evidence and strict procedural steps. We match you with a lawyer who handles these files in Turkey, so you understand your position before a date passes or a document is signed.
- Turkish-qualified, Bar-registered lawyers
- Guidance on mandatory mediation and time limits
- Free matching, no obligation to instruct
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Why this page
Sick leave disputes in Turkey, explained calmly
Sick leave sits at the meeting point of two relationships that Turkish law treats separately: the employment contract and the medical evidence behind it. When an employer questions a report, withholds pay during illness, or ends the contract while you are recovering, the answer is rarely found in the sick-leave rules alone — it lies in how an individual labour dispute is brought, mediated and proved in Turkey. That is the work of a sick leave lawyer in Turkey: reading the file, testing the medical evidence and choosing between mediation and a court claim. On this page we set out the procedural framework that applies, from mandatory mediation to limitation periods and court fees, and we match you free of charge with a lawyer who handles this type of case. We do not give legal advice ourselves.
Turkey in practice
How a sick leave dispute moves through the Turkish system
Turkey is a codified civil-law jurisdiction in which employment disputes follow a fixed procedural route before they ever reach a judge. These are the practical features that shape a sick leave file, taken from Turkish legislation.
Mandatory mediation comes first
In Turkey, individual labour disputes — claims for receivables, compensation and reinstatement — must go to mediation before a case can be filed. The requirement has applied since 1 January 2018 under the Labour Courts Law (No. 7036, Article 3). A claim filed without first attempting mediation is dismissed on procedural grounds, so mediation is the practical starting point in sick leave disputes.
The one-month reinstatement window
A reinstatement claim must be brought within one month of termination, and the mediation application falls inside that window. Wage and employment receivables, by contrast, are subject to a five-year limitation period. The one-month point usually sets the pace of a sick-leave dismissal file, so dated documents — medical reports, the termination notice, payslips — should be collected immediately.
Who may act for you
Only a lawyer admitted to a Turkish Bar Association (Baro) and holding a licence (ruhname) issued under the Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136, Article 3) may act professionally; the Union of Turkish Bar Associations oversees the Bars. Representation is not generally compulsory in civil proceedings, but it is the norm in commercial disputes and always advisable before the Court of Cassation. Legal aid (adli yardım) is available.
Turkish is the only language of the courts
Turkish is the sole language of the courts under the 1982 Constitution (Article 3). Pleadings, evidence and judgments are in Turkish, documents in a foreign language must be filed with a certified translation, and foreign public documents generally need an apostille — Turkey is party to the Hague Apostille Convention. A party who does not speak Turkish is assisted by a court-appointed interpreter.
Court fees and lawyers’ fees
Court fees are governed by the Fees Law (Law No. 492). Civil, commercial and administrative actions carry a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute plus a fixed application fee, with one quarter payable on filing. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed but may not fall below the annual minimum-fee tariff published by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations.
Appeals and challenges to official decisions
An appeal (istinaf) against a first-instance judgment must be lodged within two weeks of notification; an annulment action (iptal davası) against a decision of a public authority within 60 days. Turkish private law is codified on the Swiss model, so courts apply the codes systematically, with Court of Cassation decisions guiding interpretation rather than binding as precedent.
Key time limits — Employment Law
| Matter | Statutory time limit | What it means in practice |
|---|---|---|
| Employment dismissal / reinstatement claim | 1 month from termination (mediation application) | The mediation step must be taken inside that month, so the clock matters from day one. |
| Wage and employment receivables | 5 years | Covers unpaid wages and comparable employment receivables, counted separately from the dismissal deadline. |
All country data on this page is drawn from official Turkish legislation published on mevzuat.gov.tr, as available at the time of preparation.
- Constitution of 1982 (Law No. 2709) — language of the courts
- Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136) — admission to the profession
- Labour Law (Law No. 4857) — employment claims
- Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098) — limitation periods
- Fees Law (Law No. 492) — court fees
- Code of Civil Procedure (Law No. 6100) — appeals
- Administrative Procedure Law (Law No. 2577) — annulment actions
Common situations
When a sick leave problem becomes a legal one
Three situations clients bring to us most often, and what makes each of them time-sensitive in Turkey.
Dismissed while on sick leave
You were recovering, the contract was terminated and the notice period is already running. The one-month window for a reinstatement claim starts from termination, so the sequence of mediation and filing has to be planned now.
Pay withheld during illness
Wages or sick pay were not paid, and payslips do not match what you were promised. Employment receivables carry a five-year limitation period, but evidence — medical reports, bank records, correspondence — needs to be assembled while it is still available.
Conflicting advice on the route
One adviser says go straight to court, another says mediation. In Turkey mediation is a mandatory precondition for individual labour disputes, and a claim filed without it is dismissed on procedural grounds. A lawyer reviews the file before any application.
How we help
What the free matching gives you
We are not a law firm. We connect your situation with a Bar-registered Turkish lawyer who handles employment files, and we explain how the process works before you commit.
Lawyers who know the Turkish procedure
Your matter is checked against the mediation requirement and the relevant limitation periods, so the first step is not wasted. We match you with a lawyer who handles employment and sick leave files rather than a general practitioner.
One request, several matching options
You describe the situation once. We compare it with lawyers who take employment disputes in Turkey and come back with options, so you can decide who to instruct without repeating the whole story each time.
Clear expectations on fees
Turkish lawyers’ fees are agreed freely but may not fall below the annual minimum-fee tariff published by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Your lawyer explains court fees, the advance payment and the fee basis before you commit to anything.
Support across the language barrier
Court proceedings are conducted in Turkish, so your lawyer manages filings, certified translations and interpreters on your behalf. You receive explanations in English and understand what is happening at each stage of the file.
Cross-border situations
Clients reach us from across Europe
Many sick leave questions come from people who worked in Turkey but now live elsewhere, or who work for a Turkish employer from abroad. These are the countries clients most often connect from.
FAQ
Questions clients ask about sick leave in Turkey
I was dismissed while on sick leave in Turkey — what should I do first?
An individual labour dispute, including a reinstatement claim, must go to mediation before a case can be filed in Turkey (Labour Courts Law No. 7036, Article 3). Reinstatement has to be pursued within one month of termination and the mediation application falls inside that window, so gather dated documents immediately and speak to a sick leave lawyer in Turkey without delay.
How long do I have to claim unpaid wages or sick pay?
Wage and other employment receivables are subject to a five-year limitation period under the Code of Obligations (Law No. 6098), counted from the date the payment fell due. The one-month reinstatement deadline is far shorter and runs separately, so dealing with the dismissal first is usually the sensible order of work.
Will the proceedings be conducted in Turkish?
Yes. Turkish is the sole language of the courts under the 1982 Constitution, Article 3. Filings, evidence and judgments are in Turkish; foreign-language documents need a certified translation and foreign public documents generally require an apostille. If you do not speak Turkish, the court appoints an interpreter for the hearing.
Is a lawyer compulsory in Turkish employment proceedings?
Not generally. Under the Attorneyship Law (Law No. 1136) representation is not mandatory in civil proceedings and parties may litigate in person, with compulsory defence limited to defined criminal cases. In employment files turning on medical evidence and mediation, instructing a Bar-registered lawyer is nonetheless the norm, and legal aid (adli yardım) is available.
What court fees apply to a sick leave claim in Turkey?
Under the Fees Law (Law No. 492), civil and administrative actions carry a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute plus a fixed application fee, with one quarter paid in advance on filing. Lawyers’ fees are agreed freely but may not fall below the annual minimum-fee tariff.
Can you help if I no longer live in Turkey?
Yes. We match remote and non-resident clients with Turkish Bar-registered lawyers who handle employment files. Everything at court level is in Turkish, so your lawyer manages filings, translations and mediation dates on your behalf. Getting matched is free and carries no obligation to instruct anyone.
Next step
Tell us what happened and we will match you
Describe your sick leave situation in a few lines — the dates, the employer and what you have received so far. We compare it with Bar-registered Turkish lawyers who take employment cases and come back to you with options. No fee for the matching and no obligation to proceed.