The sanction has two layers and both operate together. Under Article 29 of Law No. 5953, an employer who does not grant the annual leave provided in Article 21, or grants it but does not pay for it, faces both of the following.
The Two Layers
| Layer | Content | Who receives it |
|---|---|---|
| 1. Administrative fine | Three times the total of the wages corresponding to the leave period | The State |
| 2. Payment to the journalist | The wage due, paid at double | The journalist |
Why the Right Cannot Be Bought Out
Article 21 provides that the right to leave cannot be waived. That sentence is what makes Article 29 bite: an arrangement in which the journalist agrees not to take leave in exchange for payment does not discharge the obligation, so the sanction continues to run.
In other words, "we paid instead of granting leave" is not a defence — it is close to an admission that leave was not granted.
A Worked Example
Take a journalist on a monthly wage of TRY 60,000 with a six-week entitlement who is granted no leave in a year. Six weeks is roughly 1.4 months' wage, about TRY 84,000.
| Item | Calculation | Amount |
|---|---|---|
| Wages corresponding to the leave period | ≈ 1.4 × 60,000 | TRY 84,000 |
| Administrative fine (× 3) | 84,000 × 3 | TRY 252,000 |
| Payment to the journalist (× 2) | 84,000 × 2 | TRY 168,000 |
| Total exposure | — | TRY 420,000 |
The figures are illustrative; the mechanism is the point. Because both layers are calculated on the leave pay, the exposure scales with the wage and with the length of the leave not granted — and six weeks is the entitlement for anyone with more than ten years in the profession.
Who Imposes the Fine?
Under Article 30, administrative fines under this Law are imposed by the regional director of the Ministry of Labour and Social Security. Under Article 24, the monitoring, supervision and inspection of the Law is carried out by the Ministry of Labour.
Practical Controls
Bottom Line
An employer who does not grant annual leave, or grants it without paying, faces an administrative fine of three times the leave pay and must pay the journalist the wage due at double. Because the right to leave cannot be waived, paying money instead of granting leave does not discharge the obligation.
Entitlements are covered in the annual leave article and the seniority test in the leave seniority article.