Dismissal and Reinstatement Claims in Türkiye

Does reinstatement protection apply?

A dismissal does not automatically qualify for a reinstatement claim. The contract type, length of service, relevant employee headcount and the employee’s duties and authority must be examined together. The statutory framework includes exceptions, so a job title alone is not enough to decide eligibility.

• Employment contract and actual duties
• Service periods and employer identity
• Dismissal letter and stated grounds

Treat the notice date as a priority

Under the general Labour Act framework, a reinstatement request must be referred to mediation within one month of notification of dismissal. If no agreement is reached, the subsequent court stage has its own short deadline. Have the actual notice and mediation documents reviewed; do not calculate time only from the last day you attended work.

• When and how was the notice delivered?
• Was a mediation application already made?
• Do you have the final mediation record?

Review the reason and process

Performance, conduct and operational reasons require different evidence. Compare the reason in the dismissal letter with the chronology, performance criteria, warnings, defence documents and workplace records. A social-security exit code is one piece of the record; it does not replace examination of what happened.

• Performance targets and evaluations
• Warnings, defence request and response
• Comparable roles and relevant workplace changes

After a decision or settlement

A reinstatement decision has further implementation stages, including the employee’s application and the employer’s response. A settlement may instead provide an agreed payment or ending of the relationship. These routes should be assessed with outstanding wage claims and previous payments so that the same item is not counted twice.

• Keep the decision and its service records
• Separate outstanding claims from reinstatement consequences
• Review the scope of any agreement before signing

Related guides

Official sources

The linked statutory texts and official guidance are in Turkish. The applicable regime and rules at the relevant date must be considered for an individual case.

• Ministry of Labour — employment legislation
• Labour Courts Act No. 7036
• International Labour Force Directorate — work permits