What counts as part-time work in Turkey?
Under Article 13 of Labour Law No. 4857 (İş Kanunu), a part-time employment contract is one in which the employee's normal weekly working time is set significantly lower than that of a comparable full-time employee. The Part-Time Employment Contract Regulation (Kısmi Süreli İş Sözleşmesi Yönetmeliği) defines "significantly lower" as up to two thirds of comparable full-time working time. If the workplace works 45 hours a week, up to 30 hours a week counts as part-time.
A comparable employee is a full-time employee doing the same or similar work. If there is none in the workplace, a full-time employee doing the same or similar work in a suitable workplace in that sector is used. If weekly hours exceed two thirds of the comparable employee's hours, the relationship may be treated as full-time even if the contract is labelled part-time.
Is on-call work the same as part-time work?
No. On-call work (çağrı üzerine çalışma) is a separate form of part-time work in which the employee works when the employer needs them. The contract must state weekly, monthly or annual working time; if it does not, 20 hours a week is deemed agreed. The employee must be called at least four days in advance. In on-call work, pay is due for the agreed hours even if the employee is not called.
How do you set up a part-time employment contract?
A part-time contract does not have to be in writing, but a written contract is recommended for evidence. The contract should make the following clear:
- Weekly working hours and how they are spread across days
- Pay basis: hourly, daily or monthly
- Whether the contract is fixed-term or indefinite
- Benefits and how they apply to part-time work
- Rules for extra hours and overtime
For part-time staff, the SGK (Social Security Institution) employment start notification must also be filed before work begins, and the termination notification within 10 days of leaving. The probation period is the same as for full-time staff: up to 2 months, or up to 4 months under a collective agreement. When hiring students, retirees or people with another job on a part-time basis, check their social security status separately; for retirees, for example, different premium types may apply. In such cases, check current conditions in the latest SGK announcement. For onboarding paperwork, see our hiring paperwork guide.
How are SGK premium days calculated for part-time employees?
For part-time employees, the SGK premium day count is found by dividing total hours worked in the month by 7.5. The formula is based on an average working day of 7.5 hours (45 weekly hours / 6 days). The remaining days are reported as missing days for the reason "part-time employment" in the monthly premium and service declaration, filed within the MUHSGK return (the combined monthly withholding tax and social security declaration).
| Total hours in the month | Calculation | Result | Reporting |
|---|---|---|---|
| 90 hours | 90 / 7.5 | 12.00 days | 12 premium days, remaining days as part-time missing days |
| 120 hours | 120 / 7.5 | 16.00 days | 16 premium days, remaining days as part-time missing days |
| 88 hours | 88 / 7.5 | 11.73 days | Fractional result: confirm the rounding rule for reported days |
For fractional results, confirm the current rounding practice from the official source. Recording hours in the timesheet is essential for getting the day count right. Reporting only days worked without hour data creates a risk of underpaid premiums and differences in an inspection. For timesheet and missing day coding, see our unpaid and sick leave payroll guide.
How much do you pay a part-time employee?
A part-time employee is paid in proportion to the hours they work compared with a full-time colleague. The minimum wage also applies on an hourly basis. The 2026 gross minimum wage is TRY 33,030; based on 225 hours a month, the gross hourly minimum wage is TRY 146.80. A part-time employee cannot be paid an hourly rate below this.
Earnings subject to SGK premiums are also assessed per day: the daily floor is the monthly floor of TRY 33,030 divided by 30, which is TRY 1,101. For an employee reported with 12 premium days, earnings subject to premiums must be at least 12 x 1,101 = TRY 13,212.
Worked example: a part-time employee working 90 hours a month
Here is the January payslip of an employee working 90 hours a month at a gross hourly rate of TRY 146.80. Because earnings stay at minimum wage level, the calculated income tax and stamp duty fall within the minimum wage exemption (monthly income tax exemption TRY 4,211.33, stamp duty exemption TRY 250.70) and come to zero.
| Item | Amount |
|---|---|
| Hours worked | 90 hours |
| SGK premium days (90 / 7.5) | 12 days |
| Gross pay (90 x 146.80) | TRY 13,212.00 |
| SGK employee share (14%) | TRY 1,849.68 |
| Unemployment employee share (1%) | TRY 132.12 |
| Income tax (after exemption) | TRY 0.00 |
| Stamp duty (after exemption) | TRY 0.00 |
| Net pay | TRY 11,230.20 |
| SGK employer share (non-manufacturing, 19.75%) | TRY 2,609.37 |
| Unemployment employer share (2%) | TRY 264.24 |
| Total employer cost | TRY 16,085.61 |
In 2026 the total employer SGK rate is 21.75%. The 19.75% rate in the table assumes the conditions for the Treasury discount (Article 81/ı of Law No. 5510) are met: 2 points outside manufacturing. In manufacturing the discount is 5 points, so the employer pays 16.75% (TRY 2,213.01) and the total cost is TRY 15,689.25. An employer that does not meet the conditions pays 21.75% (TRY 2,873.61), for a total cost of TRY 16,349.85. For other pay levels and hours, use the salary calculator and the employer cost calculator, and see the payroll parameters page for current rates.
Can part-time employees work overtime?
When a part-time employee works more than their contracted hours but not more than 45 hours a week, this may be treated as "extra hours" (fazla sürelerle çalışma) rather than overtime. Extra hours are paid at a 25% premium per hour; for the portion above 45 hours a week, the overtime rules with a 50% premium apply. Regularly exceeding contracted hours may call the part-time nature of the relationship into question. See our overtime guide and confirm the current rules from the official source.
How many days of annual leave does a part-time employee get?
A part-time employee's annual leave entitlement is the same as a full-time employee's: 14 days for 1 to 5 years of service, 20 days for 5 to 15 years, and 26 days for 15 years or more. Employees aged 18 or under and 50 or over receive at least 20 days. For seniority, part-time service is counted on a calendar basis, regardless of how many days a week the person works.
Leave pay is based on the employee's part-time pay. For staff who work on certain days of the week, your policy should state clearly how leave days are used (for example, whether only working days are deducted). Use the annual leave calculator and our annual leave guide.
Are part-time employees entitled to severance and notice?
Yes. Part-time employees are entitled to severance pay (kıdem tazminatı) and notice periods when the conditions are met. Severance pay is 30 days' gross pay for each full year of service, requires at least 1 year of service and is capped (TRY 73,729.87 for 2026); only stamp duty is withheld. The calculation uses the part-time employee's own gross pay.
Notice periods are also the same: 2 weeks for less than 6 months of service, 4 weeks for 6 months to 1.5 years, 6 weeks for 1.5 to 3 years and 8 weeks for more than 3 years. For estimates, see the severance pay and notice pay calculators.
How is weekly rest and public holiday pay calculated for part-time staff?
Part-time employees are also entitled to weekly rest and public holiday rights. For monthly paid part-time staff, pay for these days is included in the monthly salary. For hourly paid staff, a public holiday is paid on the basis of the hours they would normally have worked that day. An employee cannot claim separate pay for a holiday that falls on a day they do not normally work. If they actually work on a public holiday, the additional daily wage is calculated on their own daily hours. See our public holiday pay guide for the calculation.
Should part-time employees receive benefits?
The Labour Law states that part-time employees cannot be treated differently from comparable full-time employees merely because they work part-time. Divisible benefits (such as bonuses and meal allowances) are paid in proportion to working time. If there is a reason that justifies different treatment, document it. Writing a clear pro-rata rule for part-time staff into your benefits policy prevents equal treatment disputes.
How do transfers between part-time and full-time work happen?
If there are opportunities in the workplace to move to full-time or part-time work in the same job, the employer should announce them in good time and consider requests from employees who want to switch. Because a switch is a material change to working conditions, it should be made with the employee's written consent. The law also gives parents the right to request part-time work after birth under certain conditions; see our maternity leave employer guide for details.