5Upper IntermediateBusinessBusiness

Turkey Holiday Pay: Expert Calculates 18,000 TL Extra for Workers

Social security expert İsa Karakaş has calculated that private sector workers in Turkey could earn up to 18,000 TL in additional pay during the upcoming Eid holiday. This calculation highlights important labor rights, as millions of workers prepare for the 4.5-day public holiday while the country continues to debate minimum wage adequacy.

2 min readLevel 5May 11, 2026

By Flalingo Editorial Team

Vocabulary

Study these words before reading the article. Click the audio button to hear pronunciation.

compensation

/ˌkɒmpənˈseɪʃən/

noun

Money or benefits that someone receives in return for work or as payment for a loss

“The company offered fair compensation to employees who worked overtime during the holiday period.”

entitle

/ɪnˈtaɪtl/

verb

To give someone the official right to have or do something

“Turkish labor law entitles all workers to receive double pay on public holidays.”

substitute

/ˈsʌbstɪtjuːt/

verb

To use or put something or someone in place of another

“The manager tried to substitute extra vacation days for the holiday bonus payment.”

erode

/ɪˈrəʊd/

verb

To gradually reduce or weaken something over time, especially value or power

“High inflation has continued to erode the purchasing power of minimum wage earners.”

insufficient

/ˌɪnsəˈfɪʃənt/

adjective

Not enough in amount or quality to meet a particular need or standard

“Many workers believe their current salary is insufficient to cover rising food and energy costs.”

contribution

/ˌkɒntrɪˈbjuːʃən/

noun

A regular payment made to a fund, organization, or insurance plan

“Monthly social security contributions from both employers and employees fund the national pension system.”

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Article

Click on any underlined word to see its definition. Highlighted words are from the vocabulary section.

Millions of private sector employees in Turkey face an important financial question this month. With the Eid al-Adha holiday approaching, workers want to know their compensation rights. Social security expert İsa Karakaş has calculated the potential additional payments in detail. His analysis shows that some employees could receive up to 18,000 TL extra.

According to Karakaş, Turkish labor law entitles workers to double daily wages on holidays. The upcoming Eid holiday covers 4.5 official days from May 26 to May 30. An engineer earning 4,000 TL net per day would receive 8,000 TL for each holiday shift. If this employee worked all 4.5 days, the total additional payment would reach 18,000 TL.

Karakaş also emphasized that employers cannot substitute time off for holiday pay. He stated that the law is clear: holiday work must be compensated only with money. These additional payments also positively affect future pension calculations through social security contributions. The current net minimum wage in Turkey stands at 28,075 TL per month.

This discussion comes at a significant time for Turkish workers and the broader economy. Approximately 40 percent of the workforce earns near the minimum wage level. Inflation, which reached around 31 percent in 2025, has severely eroded real wages. Labor unions continue to argue that current wages remain insufficient to cover basic living costs.

Comprehension Quiz

Test your understanding of the article with these multiple-choice questions.

1
How much additional pay could an employee earn by working all 4.5 days of the Eid holiday?
2
What does Turkish labor law say about holiday work compensation?
3
What percentage of Turkey's workforce earns near the minimum wage?
4
What was the approximate inflation rate in Turkey in 2025?

Discussion

Answer these comprehension questions about the article.

1
What did İsa Karakaş calculate regarding holiday pay for Turkish workers?
2
How many official days does the Eid al-Adha holiday cover according to the article?
3
Why can employers not offer time off instead of holiday pay in Turkey?
4
What is the current net minimum wage in Turkey, and how does it relate to inflation?
5
How do additional holiday payments affect workers' future pension calculations?

Further Discussion

Share your opinions on these open-ended questions.

1
If you were a business owner in Turkey, how would you manage labor costs during long public holidays?
2
Do you think governments should set strict rules about holiday pay, or should companies decide on their own?
3
How would you assess the risk of high inflation on workforce retention in an emerging market like Turkey?
4
In your opinion, what strategies could a company use to maintain employee satisfaction when wages fall behind inflation?
5
If you were advising the Turkish government, what minimum wage policy would you recommend and why?