Legal limits exceeded: Working hours in Turkey hit record highs

Turkey is among the countries that stand out for its long working hours.

According to data from the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) cited by NTV, the average weekly working time in Turkey is 45.7 hours. With this figure, Turkey ranks second, following Colombia, which leads the list with an average of 47.6 hours.

Mexico occupies the third spot on the list with 45 hours. They are followed by Costa Rica with 44.6 hours and Chile with 42.6 hours, respectively. Other countries with high working hours include Poland, Portugal, Hungary, Czechia, and Slovakia.

While the average weekly working time among OECD countries is calculated at 37 hours, Turkey stands out for being significantly above this average. At the bottom of the list is the Netherlands with 30.5 hours, holding the title of the country with the shortest working hours.

OECD data from 2022 also reveals a striking picture regarding the proportion of people working over 60 hours per week. While this rate reaches 15.1 percent in Turkey, the rate in Colombia, which ranks second in this area, was recorded at 14.2 percent. The OECD average is only at the 4.4 percent level.

Legal weekly working hours in Turkey vary depending on the sector. For workers subject to Labor Law No. 4857, this period is applied as 45 hours. For members of the press and those working in the maritime sector, the weekly limit is 48 hours. While this period is 40 hours for civil servants, the weekly working time for underground mine workers is limited to 37.5 hours.