Türkiye 2025 Labour Law Update Wage Increases and Stricter Employer Rules Explained

In 2025, Turkey implemented important labour law reforms under Labour Law No. 4857 that expanded worker protections and made a real impact on employers. These changes include increased minimum wage and severance pay and increased administration as a result of noncompliance.

Updating Wages and Severance Pay

Minimum Wage – The gross monthly minimum wage increased from 20,002.50 TRY (2024) to 26,005.50 TRY on January 1, 2025.

For those who work in underground coal and lignite mines, this amount needs to be at least doubled.

Severance Pay Cap – Between January 1 and June 30, 2025, the severance pay cap was increased from 41,828.42 TRY to 46,655.43 TRY.

Updated Administrative Penalties

To reflect the 2025 revision rate, the Ministry of Labour and Social Security updated the penalties for infractions of Labour Law No. 4857. Key sanctions include

Penalties range from 2,017 TRY to more than 190,000 TRY for employers who neglect to fulfil their responsibilities, such as properly paying wages, organising personnel files or issuing employment certificates.

Transparency, equity and accountability in the Turkish labour market are the goals of these legislative changes. To avoid serious fines, employers are strongly encouraged to review their compliance with Labour Law No. 4857.