How much is paid for working on a public holiday?

An employee who works on a public holiday is paid an extra day’s wage for that day on top of their normal pay. A holiday not worked is paid in full (Turkish Labour Law No. 4857, Art. 47).

Is the eve of a feast a holiday?

The eves of the Ramadan and Sacrifice Feasts and 28 October are holidays from 1 pm; the morning is a working day.

Do public holidays count against annual leave?

No. National and general holidays and weekly rest days that fall within annual leave are not counted as leave days (Art. 56).

If a holiday falls on a weekend, is another day given instead?

No. The law does not move a holiday that falls on a weekend, and gives no other day off for it.

Do bridge days given to public servants apply to private employers?

No. Administrative days off around the feasts are for the public sector. In a private workplace they are working days unless agreed otherwise.

2026 and 2027

Public holidays in Turkey

The dates of Turkey’s national and religious holidays, the day of the week they fall on and the half-day eves. See at a glance which days are off and what is paid to people who work them.

2026 public holidays

In 2026, public holidays add up to 15.5 days. Feast eves and 28 October are holidays from 1 pm only.

2026 public holidays
Date	Holiday	Length
1 January 2026Thursday	New Year’s Day	Full day
19 March 2026Thursday	Ramadan Feast eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
20 March 2026Friday	Ramadan Feast, day 1	Full day
21 March 2026Saturdayweekend	Ramadan Feast, day 2	Full day
22 March 2026Sundayweekend	Ramadan Feast, day 3	Full day
23 April 2026Thursday	National Sovereignty and Children’s Day	Full day
1 May 2026Friday	Labour and Solidarity Day	Full day
19 May 2026Tuesday	Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day	Full day
26 May 2026Tuesday	Sacrifice Feast eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
27 May 2026Wednesday	Sacrifice Feast, day 1	Full day
28 May 2026Thursday	Sacrifice Feast, day 2	Full day
29 May 2026Friday	Sacrifice Feast, day 3	Full day
30 May 2026Saturdayweekend	Sacrifice Feast, day 4	Full day
15 July 2026Wednesday	Democracy and National Unity Day	Full day
30 August 2026Sundayweekend	Victory Day	Full day
28 October 2026Wednesday	Republic Day eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
29 October 2026Thursday	Republic Day	Full day

2027 public holidays

In 2027, public holidays add up to 14.5 days. Feast eves and 28 October are holidays from 1 pm only.

2027 public holidays
Date	Holiday	Length
1 January 2027Friday	New Year’s Day	Full day
8 March 2027Monday	Ramadan Feast eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
9 March 2027Tuesday	Ramadan Feast, day 1	Full day
10 March 2027Wednesday	Ramadan Feast, day 2	Full day
11 March 2027Thursday	Ramadan Feast, day 3	Full day
23 April 2027Friday	National Sovereignty and Children’s Day	Full day
1 May 2027Saturdayweekend	Labour and Solidarity Day	Full day
15 May 2027Saturdayweekend	Sacrifice Feast eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
16 May 2027Sundayweekend	Sacrifice Feast, day 1	Full day
17 May 2027Monday	Sacrifice Feast, day 2	Full day
18 May 2027Tuesday	Sacrifice Feast, day 3	Full day
19 May 2027Wednesday	Sacrifice Feast, day 4 · Commemoration of Atatürk, Youth and Sports Day	Full day
15 July 2027Thursday	Democracy and National Unity Day	Full day
30 August 2027Monday	Victory Day	Full day
28 October 2027Thursday	Republic Day eveFrom 1 pm	From 1 pm
29 October 2027Friday	Republic Day	Full day

The religious feast dates come from the calendar of Turkey’s Presidency of Religious Affairs (Diyanet).

Working on a public holiday

Whether the workplace works on public holidays is set by the collective or the individual employment contract. Where the contract is silent, the employee has to agree (Labour Law Art. 44).
A holiday not worked is paid in full. A holiday worked earns an extra day’s wage for that day (Art. 47).
Feast eves and 28 October are holidays from 1 pm (Law No. 2429).
Public holidays that fall within annual leave do not count towards it (Art. 56).
Administrative days off given to public servants (bridge days) do not bind private employers.

Source: Law No. 2429 on National and General Holidays; Labour Law No. 4857, Art. 44, 47 and 56.

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Shiftrio

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In Shiftrio, spread the week’s shifts across departments and publish them. Your team sees their own shifts on their phones and sends time-off and swap requests from the app.

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Free for up to 10 employees, on iPhone and Android.

Questions

How much is paid for working on a public holiday?: An employee who works on a public holiday is paid an extra day’s wage for that day on top of their normal pay. A holiday not worked is paid in full (Turkish Labour Law No. 4857, Art. 47).
Is the eve of a feast a holiday?: The eves of the Ramadan and Sacrifice Feasts and 28 October are holidays from 1 pm; the morning is a working day.
Do public holidays count against annual leave?: No. National and general holidays and weekly rest days that fall within annual leave are not counted as leave days (Art. 56).
If a holiday falls on a weekend, is another day given instead?: No. The law does not move a holiday that falls on a weekend, and gives no other day off for it.
Do bridge days given to public servants apply to private employers?: No. Administrative days off around the feasts are for the public sector. In a private workplace they are working days unless agreed otherwise.

This page gives general information, not legal advice. For your own contract, ask an expert.