Electronic Notifications for Employees in Türkiye’s Labour Law

Information Note: Amendment to Article 109 of the Turkish Labour Law Regarding Notifications via Registered Electronic Mail (KEP)

On 24 July 2025, Law No. 7555 — “Law Amending the Law on the Protection of the Value of Turkish Currency, Various Other Laws, and Decree-Law No. 635” — was published in the Official Gazette (Issue No. 32965). Among its provisions, Article 109 of the Labour Law (Law No. 4857) was revised to permit the use of registered electronic mail (KEP) for certain types of notifications between employers and employees.

Previous Version of Article 109

Before the amendment, Article 109 was titled “Written notification” and stated the following:

“Notifications required by this Law must be made in writing and delivered against signature. If the person to whom the notification is made refuses to sign, the situation shall be recorded by a written statement at the place of delivery. However, notifications falling within the scope of Law No. 7201 shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of that Law.”

Under this framework, written notifications were generally delivered by hand or via notary, and alternative methods such as electronic communication were not explicitly recognized by the Labour Law.

Revised Article 109 (Effective 24 July 2025)

With the enactment of Law No. 7555, Article 109 has been revised under the new title “Written or electronic notification”. The revised text is as follows:

“Notifications required by this Law shall be made in writing and delivered against signature, or via registered electronic mail (KEP), which is a qualified form of electronic mail providing legal proof of transmission and receipt, provided that the employee has given written consent. Notifications that result in the termination of the employment contract shall in any case be made in writing. If the person to whom the notification is made refuses to sign, the situation shall be recorded by a written statement at the place of delivery. However, notifications falling within the scope of Law No. 7201 shall be carried out in accordance with the provisions of that Law.

The costs related to the use of the KEP system shall be borne by the employer. The electronic notifications mentioned in this article shall be made in accordance with the relevant legislation governing the KEP system.”

Key Provisions Introduced by the Amendment

• The amendment explicitly allows the use of KEP for employer-employee communications, provided that the employee has given prior written approval.

• Notifications that may lead to the termination of an employment contract must still be issued in written form.

• All costs associated with the use of the KEP system must be covered by the employer.

• Electronic notifications must comply with the technical and legal standards established under the applicable KEP legislation.

This legal development provides a formal framework for the use of digital communication tools in labour relations without replacing traditional procedures. For those who wish to review the full text of the legislative change, including the amended Article 109 of the Labour Law, the official publication is available in the Official Gazette dated 24 July 2025 (Issue No. 32965): https://www.resmigazete.gov.tr/eskiler/2025/07/20250724-2.htm.