Weekly rest and public holiday pay are among the most common claims in employment cases. The rules are simple; the problem is usually missing records.
Weekly rest
- Within each 7-day period the employee gets at least 24 hours of uninterrupted rest (Labour Law art. 46). It does not have to be Sunday.
- Weekly rest is paid even though no work is done.
- Working even a few hours on the rest day breaks the 24-hour period; rest is deemed not given that day.
- Weekly rest cannot be split; in shift work it may start at a time other than midnight.
- Child and young workers get at least 40 hours of uninterrupted rest.
National and public holidays
On the days listed in Law No. 2429 (New Year, 23 April, 1 May, 19 May, 15 July, 30 August, 29 October, Ramadan and Sacrifice holidays, and the afternoons of 28 October and holiday eves):
- If no work is done, the wage is paid in full.
- If work is done, one additional day's wage is paid.
- Unless the contract or collective agreement provides otherwise, employee consent is needed; refusing is not absence.
- On half-day holidays (eves), payment is proportional to the hours falling in the holiday.
- If a public holiday falls on the weekly rest day, two separate payments do not arise unless the contract says so.
Example with the 2026 minimum wage
Daily gross TRY 1,101, hourly gross about TRY 146.80.
| Situation | Extra pay for monthly-paid | Total for daily-paid |
|---|---|---|
| No work on weekly rest day | — (included in salary) | 1 day's wage |
| Full day worked on weekly rest day | 1.5 days' wage (TRY 1,651.50) | 2.5 days' wage (TRY 2,752.50) |
| 4 hours worked on weekly rest day | Counts as a full day: TRY 1,651.50 | TRY 2,752.50 |
| No work on public holiday | — (included in salary) | 1 day's wage |
| Full day worked on public holiday | 1 day's wage (TRY 1,101) | 2 days' wage (TRY 2,202) |
| 10 hours worked on public holiday | TRY 1,101 + 2.5 hours overtime (TRY 550.50) | TRY 2,202 + TRY 550.50 |
These payments are wages, subject to SGK premiums, income tax and stamp duty. You can also enter public holiday days in the overtime calculator.
Records and proof
In a dispute, the burden of proving that no work was done on rest days and holidays, or that it was paid, lies with the employer. Signed timesheets, entry-exit records and separate lines on the payslip are the strongest evidence. The limitation period for wage claims is 5 years.
Employer checklist
- 24 hours of uninterrupted rest in every 7 days in the shift plan
- Contract clause or written consent for public holiday work
- Rest day and holiday work marked separately on timesheets
- Paid on a separate payroll line
- Holiday eves calculated as half days
Sources
Labour Law No. 4857 arts. 44, 46, 47, 63; Law No. 2429 on National Holidays and Public Holidays; Regulation on the Employment of Child and Young Workers.