What Is Holiday Overtime Pay and How Is It Calculated? (2025)
In Turkey in 2025, Holiday overtime pay refers to compensation for work performed on public holidays, which are typically non-working days. Even if employees do not work on public holidays, their monthly salary already includes payment for these days. However, if an employee works during a public holiday and exceeds the standard weekly working hours, they are entitled to both overtime pay and holiday pay. Compensating employees for holiday work with compensatory leave is not allowed under regulations; employees must be paid for each day worked during a public holiday.
Is Holiday Overtime Mandatory?
According to labor laws, mandatory work cannot be required on public holidays, whether religious or national. However, if an employee’s employment contract explicitly includes provisions for working on public holidays, the employer may require holiday work. If the employment contract does not specify this, the employee’s consent is needed to work on these days.
How Is Holiday Overtime Calculated in 2025 in Turkey?
Overtime pay is the monetary compensation for one day’s work. Monthly salaries are the total of these daily compensations over a month. For public holidays, employees are entitled to an extra day’s pay for each day worked. This means an employee working on a holiday earns twice their daily wage.
What Is the Daily Holiday in Turkey Overtime Pay for 2025?
For 2025, the gross monthly minimum wage is 26,005.50 TRY. Dividing this by 30 gives a daily wage of 866.85 TRY. Accordingly, the daily holiday overtime pay for 2025 is 1,773.70 TRY.
2025 Ramadan Holiday Overtime Pay
Ramadan Bayram lasts 3 days, or 3.5 days if the eve (Arife) is included. Employees who work during the full 3.5 days receive payment equivalent to 7 days of work, totaling 6,067.95 TRY for minimum wage earners. Including the regular monthly salary, the total gross payment amounts to 29,039.48 TRY.
2025 Eid al-Adha Holiday Overtime Pay
Eid al-Adha is a 4-day holiday, or 4.5 days including the eve. Employees working during the entire 4.5 days receive payment equivalent to 9 days of work, totaling 7,801.65 TRY for minimum wage earners. Including the regular monthly salary, the total gross payment amounts to 29,906.33 TRY.
As gross wages increase, the overtime pay for holidays like Ramadan and Eid al-Adha also rises. For higher earners, specialized calculators can be used to determine the exact amount.
Holiday Overtime Pay Examples
Holiday pay is calculated as twice the employee’s daily gross earnings. For instance:
| Gross Monthly Salary (TRY) | Daily Holiday Pay (TRY) |
|---|---|
| 26,005.50 | 1,773.70 |
| 30,000.00 | 2,000.00 |
| 35,000.00 | 2,333.33 |
| 40,000.00 | 2,666.66 |
| 45,000.00 | 3,000.00 |
| 50,000.00 | 3,333.33 |
| 55,000.00 | 3,666.67 |
| 60,000.00 | 4,000.00 |
| 65,000.00 | 4,333.33 |
| 70,000.00 | 4,666.67 |
Is Holiday Overtime Included in Severance Pay?
Employers are required to pay severance to employees dismissed without cause. Severance pay is calculated based on total wages and the length of employment. Holiday overtime pay is considered part of additional earnings and is included in severance calculations.
Do Employers Provide Travel Allowances or Advances During Holidays?
Employees may request advances when taking time off for holidays. Employers can approve such requests and deduct the advance from future salaries. However, holiday overtime calculations do not include advances. Employers may also offer holiday-specific bonuses or allowances instead of advances. Travel and meal allowances are not deducted during public holidays, ensuring that employees retain their full benefits.
Can Employees Receive Leave Instead of Holiday Pay?
Holiday overtime requires the explicit consent of the employee. With mutual agreement between employer and employee, holiday work can be compensated with leave on another day. However, if the employee is paid for holiday work, compensatory leave is not applicable.
What Happens If a Holiday Falls on a Weekend?
Employees working more than 45 hours a week are entitled to overtime pay. If a public holiday falls on a Sunday or another weekend day, the holiday overtime is calculated in addition to regular weekend overtime. In this case, the employee is entitled to twice their normal daily wage for each day worked.
For more informations, please contact our team based in Istanbul.
