How Long Is Your Notice Period? What Your Contract Actually Says
The "Two Weeks" Assumption That Breaks Start Dates
In the tech world, "give two weeks and walk" has become almost cultural shorthand. It comes from US practice, travels through LinkedIn posts and podcasts, and lands in Türkiye as assumed fact. The problem: Türkiye's labor law does not recognize a flat two-week notice period as the default. If you've already booked a start date at your new company based on that assumption, you have a problem.
Notice periods in Türkiye are governed by Labor Law Article 17 and scale with tenure. A developer who has been at a company for two and a half years owes four weeks minimum - not two. Someone past the six-year mark owes eight. And if your contract specifies something longer than the legal minimum, the contract wins.
Sending your resignation letter does not start the clock. Submitting it in writing to your employer does - and from that point, the duration is fixed by your contract and tenure, not by what feels reasonable.
Legal Minimums by Tenure
The law sets a floor. Your contract can only go higher, never lower.
| Tenure | Minimum Notice |
|---|---|
| 6 months - 1.5 years | 2 weeks (14 days) |
| 1.5 years - 3 years | 4 weeks (28 days) |
| 3 years - 6 years | 6 weeks (42 days) |
| Over 6 years | 8 weeks (56 days) |
These are calendar days, not business days - unless your contract specifies otherwise. If your contract says "30 business days," that maps to roughly six calendar weeks. The distinction matters when calculating exactly when you can start somewhere new.
Three Contract Clauses to Read Before You Name a Start Date
Pull out your employment contract before you agree to anything with your new employer. Look for these three things:
1. Notice period clause:
Should state a specific number of days or weeks. Vague language like "mutual agreement" defaults to the legal minimum - which is often to your advantage. If it's explicit and longer than the legal floor, you're bound by the contract figure.
2. Non-compete clause:
Does it restrict you from working in the same sector after you leave? For how long, and within what geographic scope? In the software industry, the enforceability of broad non-competes is genuinely debated, but you should know what's there before you accept an offer from a direct competitor.
3. Handover obligations:
Some contracts require completion of specific projects or delivery of formal handover documentation before your last day. These clauses can effectively extend how long you're tied to your current role, even if the calendar notice period has ended.
How to Calculate Your Actual Notice Period
Work through it in five steps:
- Find your start date: The date listed on your contract as your first working day.
- Calculate tenure: Years and months between that date and today.
- Identify the legal minimum: Use the table above.
- Check your contract: If the contract specifies a longer period, that applies.
- Your notice period: Whichever of the two is greater.
Concrete example: you joined in January 2023 and today is May 2026. That's three years and four months of tenure. The legal minimum lands you in the six-week bracket. If your contract says 30 calendar days, the legal minimum (42 days) is longer - so you owe six weeks. If your contract says 60 days, that's the binding figure.
Negotiating Your Start Date with the New Company
New employers often ask "when can you start?" late in the process - sometimes during the offer call itself. Saying a number before you've done the math puts unnecessary pressure on you.
The right sequence:
- Accept the offer in principle, but don't commit to a date yet.
- Read your contract, calculate your notice period, confirm your last possible working day.
- Give the new employer that date - in writing if possible.
Most companies in the software sector understand this. "My contract requires 30 days' notice - this date is the earliest I can commit to" is a complete and professional explanation. Having it in your offer letter or email confirmation protects you if there's later pressure to start sooner.
Can you leave earlier if the new employer is impatient? Sometimes. Your current employer can agree to shorten the notice period by mutual consent - they sometimes do if they want to move quickly on backfilling. But that's their decision to offer, not your right to demand.
Garden Leave: Being Released Early but Still Technically Employed
Some companies, particularly in sensitive roles, will tell you not to come in during your notice period. You stay on the payroll, your social security contributions continue, but you're not expected at your desk. This is garden leave.
During garden leave, you're still legally employed by your current company. That means you cannot start your new role yet - even if you're sitting at home doing nothing. The date your new employer sees in the social security system is what matters.
If your employer puts you on garden leave:
- Get it in writing - an email confirming the arrangement is enough.
- Confirm your salary and benefits continue unchanged.
- Don't assume your system access will be cut immediately - sometimes it lingers, and it's worth asking.
Final Paycheck and Benefit Tracking
Your employment doesn't end cleanly when the notice period closes. Several financial items need to settle before you're truly out:
- Accrued leave: Unused annual leave days must be paid out at your gross daily rate. Know how many days you have before your last day.
- Bonuses and project payments: If an annual bonus or project-based payment lands inside or just after your notice period, check the contract language - "must be employed on the payment date" clauses can cut you out.
- Social security exit record: Your employer notifies the Social Security Institution (SGK) of your last day. Don't wait for your new employer's enrollment to show up - check your own service record to confirm the exit date is correct.
For a detailed look at how gross-to-net calculations and payroll deductions work, the getSalary payroll calculator can walk you through the numbers side.
Do the Math Before You Say a Date
The single most useful thing you can do in the window between deciding to resign and telling anyone: read your contract and calculate your notice period. Everything else follows from that number.
Once you know it, you control the timeline. The new company can work around a clear, documented date. Your current employer knows exactly what to plan for. And you avoid the awkward position of having to revise a start date you gave before you had the facts.
Use the getSalary salary tools to understand what your market rate is at your next step - and go into the negotiation knowing both your timeline and your worth.