Collective Dismissal In Turkey: Requirements, Process And Employee Rights

A collective dismissal—referred to under Turkish law as a “collective termination of employees”—is not merely a human resources decision. It constitutes a distinct legal regime under which employers are subject to substantial procedural obligations, non-compliance may result in administrative and legal consequences, and employees benefit from specific statutory protections. Article 29 of Turkish Labor Law No. 4857 regulates this process through prescribed numerical thresholds, notification requirements, and waiting periods. Accordingly, before deciding to implement a collective dismissal, the employer must carefully assess whether all statutory requirements have been satisfied.

This article examines the statutory definition of collective dismissal, the numerical thresholds applicable according to workplace size, circumstances that do and do not qualify as collective dismissal, the notification requirement and thirty-day waiting period, judicial review of business-related grounds,