Unfortunately, our country ranks third worldwide in workplace accidents. Many of these accidents result in death due to carelessness and lack of precautions. To prevent such incidents, the Ministry of Labor and Social Security works to identify shortcomings in the working life, protect occupational health, and safeguard workers’ rights. The Ministry is also authorized to oversee workplace medicine and safety, provide information, and ensure necessary controls. It implements regulations for both domestic and foreign workers. Through employment services, the Ministry supplies workplaces with required personnel, identifies deficiencies and mistakes, and takes the steps needed to remedy them. It monitors developments related to workplace accidents and inspects whether institutions have taken the necessary occupational health measures. In addition, the Ministry carries out mediation activities to help employers and employees reach agreements. To sustain these inspections and mediation services, the Ministry hires staff. Below we outline the requirements for applying to the Ministry’s 145 mediator positions and how to prepare an application.
What Is Mediation?
Mediation, introduced into Turkish practice by Law No. 6325 in 2012, is a system designed to resolve disputes between workers and employers in individual or collective agreements. Recently, mediation has also been used alongside labor courts to reduce judicial workload and to give people who find it difficult to express their claims in court a fair chance to voice them. Mediators intervene in disputes involving labor relations, trade and consumer issues, landlord-tenant conflicts, and similar disagreements, aiming to find a negotiated resolution. If parties cannot reach an agreement through mediation, they retain the right to pursue their claims in court. Likewise, parties already involved in litigation may be referred to a mediator by a judge or by their own request. Mediators act impartially; if the parties do not reach an agreement, mediation ends without effect. The mediator’s fee is determined by agreement of the parties who request mediation.
To answer who can serve as a mediator, candidates must first meet basic legal qualifications. Typically, graduates of law faculties are eligible, and applicants should have at least five years of professional experience and no convictions for intentional crimes. The Mediation Department authorizes mediation training courses that cover essential topics such as communication, negotiation, dispute resolution methods, and practical skills. Candidates who are not law graduates and attend these courses receive an additional 100 hours of legal instruction. Successful completion of the training results in a mediation competency certificate. As mediation becomes more widespread, law graduates holding this certificate may take written and oral exams organized by the Mediation Department; those who pass are authorized to practice as mediators.
Mediation Application Requirements
The Ministry of Labor and Social Security has opened 145 mediator positions to be employed in various provinces. Candidates selected to mediate collective labor agreement disputes must meet specific criteria. Applicants must be citizens of the Republic of Turkey and not be under any legal restrictions. They should not hold memberships that would create a conflict of interest—such as certain political or union roles—or be currently employed in public institutions in positions that prevent such service. Educationally, candidates are expected to be graduates of law, finance, labor economics and industrial relations, business administration, or economics. In terms of experience, applicants should have at least five years of professional experience in worker–employer relations and approximately ten years of experience related to labor law. Additionally, candidates must possess a certificate issued by the Mediation Department. After applications are submitted to the Mediation Department, appointments will be made by a selection committee by year-end. Those who wish to renew contracts at the end of the year may reapply.
Qualified individuals who meet these requirements may submit their applications. Mediators are expected to act impartially and render fair decisions. Mediation has several advantages: many disputes between employers and employees are resolved quickly and efficiently; the informal nature of mediation allows for more relaxed negotiations; confidentiality ensures that discussions remain private between the mediator and the parties; and mediation often enables more flexible solutions, saving time and helping to restore working relationships. These benefits make mediation an effective alternative to lengthy court proceedings.
Appointed mediators will continue mediation services in the provinces where they are assigned, handling disputes between employers and workers. Potential disadvantages include the risk that one party may attempt to exert undue pressure on the mediator or steer decisions toward their own interests. Nevertheless, because mediation sessions are conducted jointly and mediators are bound by impartiality, there is confidence that fair outcomes will be reached. As the mediation system develops, more people are likely to choose mediation over court in order to resolve disagreements promptly. Currently, mediation does not broadly cover family-related disputes, but there is expectation that in the future it may extend to domestic violence and family incompatibility matters. We wish applicants good luck in their pursuit of appointment to the Ministry’s 145 mediator positions.