Overtime is work beyond Türkiye's statutory 45-hour week, and every such hour is paid at a 50% premium over the normal wage. Where the contractual week is set below 45 hours, the extra work up to 45 hours counts as 25%-premium extra-time work. Overtime cannot exceed 270 hours per year.
This content is for general information only and is not binding legal advice. Consult a professional for your specific situation.
When does overtime begin?
In Türkiye the statutory weekly working time is 45 hours. As a rule, work beyond 45 hours in a week counts as overtime. So overtime is determined by the weekly total, not by the length of any single day.
- Weekly work: 45 hours → no overtime
- Weekly work: 50 hours → 5 hours of overtime
How is overtime pay calculated?
Each overtime hour is paid at 1.5× the normal hourly wage — that is, overtime hourly rate = normal hourly rate × 1.5.
Example:
- Monthly wage: 30,000 TL
- Based on a 45-hour work week (statutory 225-hour monthly divisor), the hourly wage ≈ 30,000 / 225 ≈ 133.3 TL (the monthly normal-hours figure varies by employer; a fixed value is used here for illustration)
- Overtime hourly rate = 133.3 × 1.5 ≈ 200 TL
- 5 overtime hours that week → 5 × 200 = 1,000 TL extra pay
The exact hourly wage depends on payroll and the working pattern; the figures above are there to show the method.
What is extra-time work?
Where the weekly working time is set by contract below 45 hours (for example 40 hours), the portion up to 45 hours counts as extra-time work and each hour is paid at a 25% premium. The portion above 45 hours is still at a 50% premium.
| Situation | Premium rate |
|---|---|
| Extra-time work (between 40–45 hours) | 25% |
| Overtime (above 45 hours) | 50% |
Free time instead of a premium
If the employee prefers, they may take 1 hour 30 minutes of free time for each overtime hour worked, instead of the premium. This choice grants rest in place of pay and adds flexibility.
Annual limit
Overtime cannot exceed 270 hours per year. This cap both protects the employee and forces the employer to plan ahead.
Automate the calculation
Tracking overtime by hand is both error-prone and time-consuming. A well-built shift schedule flags the portion above 45 weekly hours for you. To go further, ROTA calculates overtime straight from clock-in/clock-out times and produces a payroll-ready report — explore ROTA.
Frequently asked questions
Multiply the normal hourly wage by 1.5. Every hour worked beyond the weekly 45-hour limit is paid at a 50% premium. The hourly wage is found by dividing the monthly gross salary by that month's normal working hours.
If the contractual weekly hours are set below 45, the extra work up to that 45-hour limit is extra-time work, paid at a 25% premium. Hours beyond 45 are overtime, paid at a 50% premium.
Overtime cannot exceed 270 hours per year. This statutory cap always applies; exceeding it can give the employee grounds to terminate the contract for cause.
Yes. Instead of the premium, an employee may choose 1 hour 30 minutes of free time for each overtime hour worked. This free time is granted within six months following the request.
Yes. Overtime requires the employee's written consent, and that consent is renewed each year.
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