Employment law · Turkey
Speak to a workplace discrimination lawyer in Turkey
Employment disputes in Turkey follow a defined route: mandatory mediation first, then the labour courts, with strict time limits at each stage. Compare Bar-registered lawyers who handle discrimination-based employment claims and know Turkish procedure. Tell us what happened and we will match you with a lawyer for a first conversation.
- Bar-registered lawyers only
- Mediation-first labour procedure
- Free, no-obligation matching
Free matching · No obligation · Reply within 24–48 hours
Get matched with a lawyer
Tell us about your situation and receive a free, confidential case review.
Before you act
Employment disputes in Turkey, explained plainly
If you believe you have been treated unfairly at work because of who you are, the first step is to understand how Turkish employment disputes actually run — and to speak to someone who handles them regularly. A workplace discrimination lawyer in Turkey can assess how your situation fits the country’s codified private law, explain which route leads to the labour courts, and set out the mediation step that now comes before litigation. Turkey’s civil-law system is built on the reception of the Swiss Civil Code, with Court of Cassation decisions guiding interpretation, so how your file is framed matters from the outset. Our platform introduces you to Bar-registered lawyers who work in Turkish, arrange certified translations where needed, and explain deadlines and court fees before you commit. Matching is free and without obligation.
Turkey in practice
How a workplace discrimination claim is handled in Turkey
Turkey is a civil-law jurisdiction where procedure is codified and time limits are short. For a workplace dispute, that means mediation, court fees and language requirements all shape the case before the merits are ever discussed.
Who may act as your lawyer
Only lawyers entered in a Turkish Bar register may act for you. Under the Attorneyship Law (No. 1136, Article 3) a candidate must be a Turkish citizen, hold a Turkish law degree or a recognised equivalent, complete a one-year internship in two stages, be of good standing and obtain a licence (ruhname) from a Bar. All Bars belong to the Union of Turkish Bar Associations.
Representation is not always compulsory
In Turkish civil proceedings, parties may appear and litigate in person at first instance, so representation by a lawyer is not generally mandatory. Legal aid (adli yardım) exists for those who qualify. In practice, professional assistance from a member of a Bar is the norm in commercial and employment matters and is always advisable before the Court of Cassation and the Council of State.
Mediation comes before the labour court
Since 1 January 2018, mediation is a mandatory precondition to litigation in individual labour disputes, including claims for receivables, compensation and reinstatement (Labour Courts Law No. 7036, Article 3). A claim filed without first attempting mediation is dismissed on procedural grounds, so the mediation file should be prepared carefully from the outset.
Deadlines that shape the case
A reinstatement route begins with a mediation application within one month of termination, while wage and employment receivables are subject to a five-year limitation period. Where a claim is framed as compensation for an unlawful act, the limitation is two years from knowledge, capped at ten years (Code of Obligations No. 6098). An appeal against a first-instance judgment must be lodged within two weeks of notification.
Court fees and lawyers’ fees
Court fees follow the Fees Law (No. 492): a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute, of which one quarter is paid in advance on filing, plus a fixed application fee. Lawyers’ fees are freely agreed, but the Union of Turkish Bar Associations publishes a binding annual minimum-fee tariff that also governs what a losing party pays.
Turkish is the language of every filing
All proceedings and court documents are in Turkish under Article 3 of the 1982 Constitution. Foreign-language documents must be accompanied by a certified translation, foreign public documents generally require an apostille, and a party who does not speak Turkish is assisted by an interpreter appointed by the court. Your file is therefore built in Turkish from the beginning.
Key time limits — Employment Law
| Matter | Time limit | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Employment dismissal / reinstatement claim | 1 month from termination (mediation application) | The one-month window covers the mandatory mediation step that precedes a court claim. |
| Wage and employment receivables | 5 years | Unpaid wages and similar employment sums follow the five-year period. |
Country information on this page comes from official Turkish legislation published on mevzuat.gov.tr, retrieved at the time of writing; verify current rates and periods with your lawyer, as fees are adjusted annually.
- Constitution of 1982 (Law No. 2709) – official language and court structure
- Attorneyship Law No. 1136 – admission to the profession
- Labour Law No. 4857 – employment time limits
- Commercial Code No. 6102 – mandatory mediation in employment and commercial disputes
- Code of Obligations No. 6098 – limitation periods
- Fees Law No. 492 – court fees
- Code of Civil Procedure No. 6100 – appeal period
- Administrative Procedure Law No. 2577 – annulment actions
The difficulty
What makes these cases hard to handle alone
Three practical obstacles appear in almost every workplace dispute in Turkey.
Deadlines move fast
An employment claim can turn on weeks. Reinstatement routes begin with a mediation application within one month of termination, and an appeal must be filed within two weeks of notification. Missing a step can end a sound case on procedure alone.
Procedure feels unfamiliar
Turkish courts work in Turkish, follow a codified civil-law structure and require mediation before many labour claims. Documents from abroad need certified translations and usually an apostille — detail that is easy to overlook while you are still under pressure at work.
Costs look unpredictable
Court fees are proportional to the amount in dispute and partly payable up front, while lawyers’ fees sit inside a binding minimum-fee tariff. Understanding that framework before you file makes the decision easier and removes unpleasant surprises.
How we help
Why clients use our matching service
One short description of your situation, and a lawyer who knows the Turkish route gets back to you.
Lawyers registered with a Turkish Bar
Every lawyer we introduce is admitted to a Bar and entered in its register, holding a licence issued under the Attorneyship Law. You are speaking with a professional who is accountable to a Bar Association.
Experience with employment files
We match you with lawyers who handle individual labour disputes: the mandatory mediation stage, compensation claims and proceedings before the labour courts. You explain the situation once and receive a clear view of the route.
A clear briefing on cost and time
Before you commit, your lawyer explains the court fee structure, the minimum-fee tariff that applies to the work and the deadlines governing your file. No assumptions, no hidden next steps.
Support across languages
Turkish is the language of the courts, but your first conversations need not be. Lawyers working with international clients coordinate certified translations, apostilles and court interpreters as part of the file.
Also available in
Comparing lawyers across Europe
If your employment situation spans more than one country, you can compare how the same problem is handled elsewhere and speak to a lawyer in each jurisdiction before deciding where to act.
Questions
What clients ask before they start
Do I need a workplace discrimination lawyer in Turkey if I can go to court alone?
In Turkish civil proceedings, representation by a lawyer is not generally mandatory at first instance, so you may appear in person. In practice, employment files involve mandatory mediation, limitation periods and Turkish-language filings, so assistance from a Bar-registered lawyer is the norm rather than the exception.
Is mediation compulsory before an employment claim in Turkey?
Yes, for individual labour disputes. Since 1 January 2018 mediation has been a mandatory precondition to litigation for claims concerning receivables, compensation and reinstatement under the Labour Courts Law (No. 7036, Article 3). A claim filed without first attempting mediation is dismissed on procedural grounds.
What time limits apply to my claim in Turkey?
It depends how the claim is framed. A reinstatement route begins with a mediation application within one month of termination; wage and employment receivables carry a five-year limitation; claims framed as compensation for an unlawful act are limited to two years from knowledge, with a ten-year cap. Appeals must be lodged within two weeks of notification.
How much does it cost to bring a case in Turkey?
Court fees follow the Fees Law: a proportional judgment-and-decision fee of 68.31 per thousand of the amount in dispute, one quarter payable on filing, plus a fixed application fee. Lawyers’ fees are agreed with you but cannot fall below the annual minimum-fee tariff published by the Union of Turkish Bar Associations. Legal aid may be available.
Can I submit documents in English to a Turkish court?
No. Turkish is the sole language of judicial proceedings under the 1982 Constitution, so filings and court documents must be in Turkish. Foreign-language documents need a certified translation, foreign public documents generally require an apostille, and the court appoints an interpreter for a party who does not speak Turkish.
Do I have to travel to Turkey to instruct a lawyer?
Not necessarily. The first conversation can take place remotely, and much of the preparation — gathering documents, arranging certified translations, building the mediation file — happens before any hearing. Your lawyer will tell you when your physical presence, or a power of attorney, becomes necessary.
Free matching
Tell us what happened at work
Describe your situation in a few lines and we will introduce you to a Bar-registered lawyer in Turkey who handles workplace discrimination and employment disputes. There is no fee to be matched and no obligation to proceed.