Starting July 1, 2025, a new regulation in Turkey has changed the way salaries must be paid. Employers with three or more employees are now required to pay wages, bonuses, and similar payments through bank accounts. This replaces the previous rule that only applied to businesses with five or more staff.

This update affects not just regular workers, but also journalists and seafarers under their specific labor laws. The goal is to improve transparency, make payroll processes more accountable, and ensure better compliance with labor laws.

Why the Change Matters

The Turkish government introduced this rule to:

1. Reduce informal payments or unrecorded wage transactions.
2. Protect employee rights by ensuring proper wage documentation.
3. Prevent tax and social security issues by keeping payment records visible.

With more payments going through the banking system, both employers and employees benefit from clearer records and more secure financial transactions.

What Happens If Companies Don’t Follow?

If an employer does not pay through a bank, they may face administrative fines. As of 2025, the fine is 2,179 Turkish Lira per employee for each month they are paid in cash instead of via bank transfer.

However, there are some exceptions. If a company is located in a place where bank access is limited, they can make payments through PTT (Turkish Post) instead.

Who Is Affected?

The regulation applies to:

1. All workers covered under Turkey’s Labor Law
2. Journalists under the Press Law
3. Seafarers under the Maritime Labor Law

If the total number of employees in any of these categories reaches three or more, the employer must switch to bank-based payment.

Final Thoughts

This change might seem small, but it marks an important step toward a more formal and reliable labor market in Turkey. By making salaries traceable and reducing the risks of unregistered work, the government hopes to strengthen worker protections and bring fairness to the payroll system.

For workers, it means more financial security. For employers, it brings clearer legal rules and fewer risks in the long run.