Termination Of Employment Agreements Based On Valid Reasons Through Staffing Norm Practice

1. Introduction

In its fight against COVID-19 pandemic, Turkey has adopted the Law No. 7244 on Reducing the Effects of the Novel Coronavirus (COVID-19) Pandemic on Economic and Social Life and the Law on the Amendment of Certain Laws ("Omnibus Law"). Article 9 of the Omnibus Law introduced "prohibition of termination" for any kind of employment and service agreements, with certain exceptions.

This prohibition prevents termination of employment agreements by employers, based on valid reasons (for instance, business requirements or underperformance or incompetency of the employee), health reasons or compelling reasons, which are the most common grounds that employers resort to in face of COVID-19 outbreak.