Turkey: Contracts of employment

Original and updating authors: Batuhan Sahmay and Özlem Özdemir

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Summary

• An employment contract is defined by statute as an agreement whereby an employee undertakes to perform work in subordination to an employer, which undertakes to pay them remuneration. (See General)
• A new recruit may be subject to a probationary period, generally of up to two months, if this is agreed in the employment contract. (See Probationary periods)
• Employment contracts may be open ended or - under certain circumstances - for a fixed term or as a temporary employment relationship, and may be for full-time or part-time work. (See Types of contract)
• Where no written contract has been drawn up, within two months after employment starts, the employer must generally provide the employee with a written document setting out certain terms and conditions of employment. (See Written statement of terms of employment)
• In general, the terms of an employment contract can be varied only if the employer and employee agree on the change, although under certain circumstances an employer may dismiss an employee who does not accept a change that is based on a valid reason. (See Variation of contract)
• Non-competition provisions that prohibit a former employee from competing with his or her previous employer for a certain period after employment ends are permitted under certain conditions. (See Non-competition clauses)