Working in the Civil Sector: Defending Your Own Rights in Advocacy

According to the report, fixed-term contracts and job insecurity have become the norm, with overtime work but no compensation. The key concepts highlighted in the study were job insecurity, labor exploitation, fatigue and loneliness, work outside the scope of job descriptions, low wages, mobbing and discrimination, systematic psychological violence, and a flexible and insecure employment regime. 

Project-based work has become the norm in associations

The report highlights that fixed-term contracts, which are defined as exceptions under the Labor Code, have become the norm in civil society organizations. The report revealed that 61.7% of those working in associations and 40.7% of those working in foundations are employed under fixed-term contracts, emphasizing that employment has become insecure as associations and foundations have become dependent on project-based funding.

Overtime exists, but there is no pay, and seniority rights are merely a “favor”

According to the report, although overtime is a common practice in the civil society sector, it is mostly unpaid, contrary to the provisions of Labor Law No. 4857. Participants stated that they were not paid for working more than 45 hours per week, yet even a few minutes of tardiness could be grounds for criticism. The non-payment of overtime wages does not vary according to internal position. Managers and coordinators, however, work longer hours.

“We are not paid overtime wages for the hours we work. If we are one minute late for work, members can get angry with us, but no one notices or appreciates the extra hours we work.”

According to the report, despite widespread overtime practices in civil society organizations, only 4% of employees working under project-based and 12-month fixed-term contracts reported receiving overtime pay, while many employees were forced to use their overtime payments as leave. Among the report’s findings, it was noted that employees working under fixed-term contracts, especially in project-based work, are unable to receive the seniority raises they are entitled to each year.

Many employees stated that they were unable to receive raises due to funding cuts and sectoral contraction, and that they were unable to access these rights due to short-term contracts. It was reported that while these rights are recognized on paper, they are often violated in practice, and that seniority is presented as a “favor at the employer's discretion.”

Mobbing and discrimination are widespread

According to the report, mobbing and discrimination are among the most common problems faced by those working in the civil society sector. It was emphasized that female employees are more affected by such negative experiences.

The most commonly reported type of discrimination was based on experience and age, followed by gender-based discrimination and discrimination based on economic class. Discrimination based on disability, health status, or freedom of belief and thought was reported at lower rates. Psychological and emotional violence emerged as the most common type of violence, while experiences of verbal violence and mobbing leading to resignation were also among the notable findings. 

“The civil sector is so small that they tolerate mobbing and loss of rights. As long as their references aren't ruined.”

“Unions can become places where mobbing is intense for women. The patriarchal structure is very strong, and mobbing continues constantly, starting with the hiring process. It becomes very difficult to exist as a woman in this environment.”

Secondary rights are recognized but not implemented 

The report revealed that a large portion of those working in the civil sector are deprived of social support. While 52.1% of office workers stated that they do not receive transportation allowances, only 29.9% said they receive support sufficient to cover their transportation expenses. Additional support such as meal allowances and wear-and-tear allowances are almost never provided, while rights such as paid leave, health insurance, or benefits for symbolic days like March 8 are also largely not implemented in practice.

Rights directly related to care responsibilities, such as childcare support and contributions to children's education, are largely not recognized, while rights such as relocation leave are said to be more widely applied.

Even 63.4% of employees working in traumatic conditions such as earthquakes cannot access psychological support. Only 22% of respondents stated that this right is both recognized and implemented. It is stated that childcare and education support is virtually non-existent in local associations and foundations, while unions present a relatively better picture in this area.

Unions stand out in menstrual leave

Relocation leave is one of the secondary rights with the highest implementation rate, while unions stand out in terms of March 8 leave. Nearly half of the participants stated that menstrual leave and March 8 International Women's Day leave, which are critical for gender equality, are not recognized at all in their institutions.  Unions that grant March 8 leave to 79.2% of their employees emerged as the type of institution that stands out in recognizing this right.

High expectations from the civil sector: justice and meritocracy 

The report also reveals serious mistrust regarding merit-based hiring and remuneration processes in civil society organizations, while stating that the ideological commitment created by the fact that those working in the civil society sector are engaged in “rights-based” work obscures exploitative relationships.

“Volunteerism/commitment feelings and perceptions of belonging to a noble/lofty cause become elements that legitimize labor exploitation.”  

 “We are doing humanitarian aid work for ridiculous wages, but workers do not have the right to work in humane conditions and have merit-based rights.”  

There are rare examples of good practices

The report states that there are rare but exemplary good practices in the civil society sector. The report mentions that some institutions, at the initiative of their managers, offer employees a monthly leave of absence and administrative leave without requiring justification. 

The report highlights practices that prioritize employee well-being, such as granting special paid leave to transgender employees undergoing gender identity transition processes and hormone therapy. Additionally, the obligation to accommodate the needs of employees going through menopause and adjust work schedules in their favor is cited as a positive example.

You can access the report in Turkish here.