Turkish Law in EnglishTÜRKİYE
Turkish Code of Obligations

Article 438: b. Termination not based on just cause

Part Two: Special Obligational Relationships › Chapter Six: Contracts of Service › Division One: General Contract of Service

If the employer terminates the contract of service with immediate effect without just cause, the employee may claim as compensation the amount he would have earned had the notice period been observed, in contracts of indefinite duration, or had the contract term been observed, in contracts of fixed duration.

In a contract of service of fixed duration, the amount the employee has saved as a result of the termination of the contract of service and the income he has earned from other work or has intentionally refrained from earning shall be deducted from the compensation.

The judge may, taking into account all facts and circumstances, additionally order the payment to the employee of compensation the amount of which the judge shall freely determine; however, the amount of compensation so determined may not exceed six months' wages of the employee.

Original Turkish text

MADDE 438 · b. Haklı sebebe dayanmayan fesihte

İşveren, haklı sebep olmaksızın hizmet sözleşmesini derhâl feshederse işçi, belirsiz süreli sözleşmelerde, fesih bildirim süresine; belirli süreli sözleşmelerde ise, sözleşme süresine uyulmaması durumunda, bu sürelere uyulmuş olsaydı kazanabileceği miktarı, tazminat olarak isteyebilir.

Belirli süreli hizmet sözleşmesinde işçinin hizmet sözleşmesinin sona ermesi yüzünden tasarruf ettiği miktar ile başka bir işten elde ettiği veya bilerek elde etmekten kaçındığı gelir, tazminattan indirilir.

Hâkim, bütün durum ve koşulları göz önünde tutarak, ayrıca miktarını serbestçe belirleyeceği bir tazminatın işçiye ödenmesine karar verebilir; ancak belirlenecek tazminat miktarı, işçinin altı aylık ücretinden fazla olamaz.

Text as of 1 October 2026 · Official source (Turkish): mevzuat.gov.tr ↗

Unofficial translation for information only. The Turkish text published in the Official Gazette is the only authoritative version. This page is not legal advice.