Understand and exercise employee rights under Israeli labor law, including vacation days (chofsha), sick leave (machala), overtime pay, the Birth and Parenting Period and paternity leave, severance pay (pitzuyim), convalescence pay (dmei havra'a), minimum wage, and pension contributions. Use when user asks about "employee rights in Israel", "how many vacation days", "sick pay Israel", "pitzuyei piturim", "dmei havra'a", "minimum wage Israel", "shaat nosafot", or "zchuyot ovdim". Covers Annual Leave Law, Sick Pay Law, Hours of Work and Rest Law, Employment of Women Law, Severance Pay Law, and Minimum Wage Law. Do NOT use for drafting an employment contract (use israeli-employment-contracts), reviewing or auditing an existing employment contract (use israeli-employment-contract-reviewer), salary negotiation (use israeli-tech-salary-negotiator), reserve duty rights (use israeli-miluim-manager), or freelancer operations (use israeli-freelancer-ops).
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Understand and exercise employee rights under Israeli labor law, including vacation days (chofsha), sick leave (machala), overtime pay, the Birth and Parenting Period and paternity leave, severance pay (pitzuyim), convalescence pay (dmei havra'a), minimum wage, and pension contributions. Use when user asks about "employee rights in Israel", "how many vacation days", "sick pay Israel", "pitzuyei piturim", "dmei havra'a", "minimum wage Israel", "shaat nosafot", or "zchuyot ovdim". Covers Annual Leave Law, Sick Pay Law, Hours of Work and Rest Law, Employment of Women Law, Severance Pay Law, and Minimum Wage Law. Do NOT use for drafting an employment contract (use israeli-employment-contracts), reviewing or auditing an existing employment contract (use israeli-employment-contract-reviewer), salary negotiation (use israeli-tech-salary-negotiator), reserve duty rights (use israeli-miluim-manager), or freelancer operations (use israeli-freelancer-ops).
Understand and exercise employee rights under Israeli labor law. This skill covers the core entitlements every employee in Israel should know: vacation, sick leave, overtime, maternity/paternity leave, severance, convalescence pay, pension, termination protections, harassment prevention, and disability accommodations.
Instructions
Step 1: Identify the Employee's Situation
Before providing guidance, determine the employee's circumstances:
Factor
Options
Impact
Employment type
Full-time, part-time, shift-based
Affects overtime and vacation calculations
Seniority
Years of continuous employment with current employer
Needed for severance, overtime, and benefit calculations
All entitlements below are minimum legal requirements. Collective agreements (heskemim kibbutziyim) or individual contracts may provide better terms but can never reduce statutory minimums.
Step 2: Vacation Days (Chofsha Shnatit)
Per the Annual Leave Law, 1951 (Chok Chufsha Shnatit), every employee is entitled to paid vacation based on seniority. The statutory table counts calendar days (including weekly rest days); for a 5-day work week the "net" figure is the actual working days of absence:
Years of Employment
Gross Days (calendar, 6-day basis)
Net Working Days (5-day week)
1-5
16
12
6
18
14
7
21
15
8
22
16
9
23
17
10
24
18
11
25
19
12
26
20
13
27
20
14+
28
20
Key rules:
Gross days include Fridays and Saturdays (weekly rest). For a 5-day work week, count only the working-day column (net) when scheduling actual time off
Part-time employees earn vacation proportionally based on actual days worked in the year
Unused vacation days can carry forward with employer consent, typically over the next two years of employment; beyond that the employer may require the employee to use them
The employer sets the vacation schedule but must consider the employee's requests. The employee must receive at least 7 consecutive days per year if requested
Collective agreements (heskemim kibbutziyim) in sectors and many individual contracts grant more generous leave than the table above
Vacation pay:
The employee receives their regular salary during vacation
Unused vacation days must be paid out (pidyon chufsha) upon termination
Step 3: Sick Leave (Yemei Machala)
Per the Sick Pay Law, 1976 (Chok Dmei Machala), employees accrue sick days and receive graduated pay:
Accrual:
1.5 sick days per month of employment (18 days per year)
Maximum accumulation: 90 days total (unless a collective agreement provides more)
Pay during sick leave:
Sick Day
Pay Rate
Day 1
0% (unpaid)
Days 2-3
50% of daily wage
Day 4 onward
100% of daily wage
Key rules:
A medical certificate (ishur machala) is required from the first day of absence
Sick days can be used for the employee's own illness or a child's illness (up to 8 days per year per child under 16, or 16 days for a child with a disability)
An employer cannot fire an employee during sick leave for the first 90 days of accumulated sick days
Unused sick days are not paid out upon termination (unless a specific agreement states otherwise)
Step 4: Overtime Pay (Shaat Nosafot)
Per the Hours of Work and Rest Law, 1951 (Chok Sha'ot Avoda U'Menucha):
Standard work hours:
Maximum regular work day: 8 hours (or as defined by collective agreement)
Maximum work week: 42 hours
Weekly rest day: at least 36 consecutive hours (typically Friday evening to Saturday evening for Jewish employees)
Overtime rates:
Overtime Hours
Pay Rate
First 2 overtime hours in a day
125% of hourly wage
Beyond 2 overtime hours in a day
150% of hourly wage
Work on weekly rest day (Shabbat)
150% of hourly wage
Key rules:
Maximum overtime: 4 hours per day, 12 hours per week
Total work day cannot exceed 12 hours
Overtime must be compensated in pay, not comp time (unless a valid collective agreement allows it)
Certain sectors and positions (managers, those requiring a high degree of personal trust) may be exempt from overtime rules under specific legal conditions
The employer must keep accurate records of work hours
Minimum wage (Chok Schar Minimum, 1987):
As of 1 April 2026 the minimum wage is 6,443.85 NIS per month for a full-time position and 35.40 NIS per hour
The monthly minimum is updated every April so it is at least 47.5% of the national average wage; verify the current rate annually
For part-time employees the hourly minimum applies and the monthly figure is pro-rated
Paying below the minimum wage exposes the employer to criminal penalties and civil liability; the floor cannot be waived in a contract
Step 5: Birth and Parenting Period and Paternity Leave (Tkufat Leidah VeHorut)
Per the Employment of Women Law, 1954 (Chok Avdat Nashim). The leave is now officially called the Birth and Parenting Period (tkufat leidah vehorut), not "maternity leave" (chofshat leidah); the older term is still common in everyday speech.
Birth and Parenting Period (the parent who gave birth):
Total duration: 26 weeks from the date of birth
Paid portion: 15 weeks of birth allowance (dmei leidah) from Bituach Leumi, for employees who paid national insurance for at least 10 of the 14 months preceding the birth, or 15 of the 22 months
Employees with less than 10 months of insurance contributions: 8 weeks paid
The remaining weeks (11 or 18) are unpaid leave
The employee can start leave up to 7 weeks before the due date (deducted from the 26 weeks)
Complex-disability extension (from 1 April 2026): a parent of a child born with a complex disability recognized by Bituach Leumi is entitled to an additional 5 paid weeks. Total extension periods of the birth allowance are capped at 20 weeks combined
Job protection:
An employer cannot fire a pregnant employee without a permit from the Ministry of Labor
An employer cannot fire an employee for 60 days after the Birth and Parenting Period ends
The employee is entitled to return to the same position or an equivalent one
Paternity leave / second parent (the parent who did not give birth):
Absence right around the birth: up to 5 calendar days right after the birth (plus the day of birth itself), with no need for employer consent. The first 3 days are taken from the annual vacation balance (or unpaid if the balance is insufficient); the 4th and 5th days are treated as paid sick days
Separately, a concurrent paternity-leave week: the second parent may take one week of the Birth and Parenting Period at the same time as the parent who gave birth, and receive a birth allowance for that week from Bituach Leumi (subject to its eligibility conditions)
Taken together, the second parent can typically be home for about 7 paid days in the first month after the birth
The second parent can also take a longer share of the Birth and Parenting Period (transferred from the other parent) after that parent has used at least 6 weeks
Additional protections:
Fertility treatments: employees undergoing fertility treatments receive absences as sick days and are protected from termination during treatment
Adoption: similar leave entitlements apply to adoptive parents
Nursing mothers: entitled to a reduced work day (1 hour less) for 4 months after returning from maternity leave, with full pay
Step 6: Severance Pay (Pitzuyei Piturim)
Per the Severance Pay Law, 1963 (Chok Pitzuyei Piturim):
Entitlement:
One month's salary per year of employment (or proportional for partial years)
Applies after at least 1 year of continuous employment with the same employer
"Month's salary" means the last monthly salary (maskoret akhronah), including all fixed components
Calculation:
Severance = Last Monthly Salary x Years of Employment
For variable components or salary changes, use:
python scripts/severance-calculator.py --help
When severance is owed:
Employer-initiated termination (piturim)
Employee resignation due to health, relocation for marriage, or deteriorated working conditions (in certain cases recognized by law)
Death of the employer (individual employer)
Employer bankruptcy
Section 14 arrangement:
Most employers make monthly contributions to a pension or provident fund (kupat gemel) that are designated as severance pay under Section 14 of the Severance Pay Law
Under this arrangement, the accumulated fund replaces the obligation to pay severance separately
The standard contribution rate for severance: 8.33% of salary (equivalent to 1/12 of monthly salary)
Upon termination, the employee receives the accumulated fund balance as severance
Key rules:
Severance must be paid within 15 days of termination
Late payment accrues penalty interest (pitzuyei halanat pitzuyim)
An employee who resigns is generally not entitled to severance, except in specific circumstances
Step 7: Convalescence Pay (Dmei Havra'a)
Every employee who has completed at least one year of employment is entitled to annual convalescence pay.
Number of convalescence days by seniority:
Years of Employment
Convalescence Days
1
5 days
2-3
6 days
4-10
7 days
11-15
8 days
16-19
9 days
20+
10 days
Daily rate:
Updated annually by the Ministry of Economy. For 2026 the rate is NIS 418 per day (private sector); public sector is NIS 471.4 per day per collective agreement. The 2025-2026 private-sector freeze window has now passed, so verify the rate again after 1 July 2026 in case it is updated
For 2025 and 2026, employers are required to deduct one convalescence day from each employee's annual entitlement and transfer the equivalent amount to the Tax Authority to fund reservist support
Payment:
Usually paid once a year, typically in June-September
Appears as a separate line on the pay slip (tlush maskoret)
Taxable income but not subject to social security deductions
Part-time employees receive proportional pay based on their work percentage
Step 8: Pension and Savings (Pnsia)
Since the Mandatory Pension Law extension order (Tzav Harchava, 2008):
Mandatory contribution rates (as of 2026):
Component
Employee Contribution
Employer Contribution
Pension savings
6% of salary
6.5% of salary
Severance (Section 14)
0%
8.33% of salary
Disability insurance
Included in employer's 6.5%
Included in employer's 6.5%
Key rules:
Applies to all employees after 6 months of employment for those without prior pension coverage (contributions are then paid retroactively to day 1), or immediately if the employee already has a pension fund
The employee chooses the pension fund (keren pensia, bituach menahalim, or kupat gemel)
Contributions are calculated on the gross salary up to the maximum insurable salary
An employer who fails to make pension contributions violates the law and faces penalties
Tax benefit on the employee's 6% contribution (Section 45a):
The employee's 6% pension contribution qualifies for a 35% income-tax credit under Section 45a of the Income Tax Ordinance
The credit is applied automatically by the payroll system on the pay slip, subject to the annual ceiling (approximately NIS 8,148 in 2026)
The credit materially lowers the net cost of the employee's pension deduction. If a pay slip shows the full 6% deducted without a matching credit line, the employee may be entitled to a retroactive correction
Contributions above 7% of salary do not receive the credit and become fully taxable
Step 9: Termination Procedures (Halichei Piturim)
Israeli law requires specific procedures before terminating an employee:
Notice period (hodaa mukdemet):
Employment Duration
Notice Period
First 6 months
1 day per month worked
6-12 months
6 days + 2.5 days per month after the 6th
1+ years
1 month
This is a summary. For the exact month-by-month figures for both monthly-paid and hourly/daily employees, use the detailed table in references/entitlements-calculator.md, which is the authoritative source for notice-period calculations.
Pre-termination hearing (shima):
The employer must hold a hearing before making the final decision to terminate
The employee must receive written notice of the hearing in advance, including the reasons being considered
The employee has the right to bring a representative (union rep, lawyer, or colleague)
The employer must genuinely consider the employee's arguments before deciding
Failure to hold a proper hearing can render the termination unlawful
Protected employees:
Pregnant women: cannot be terminated without a permit from the Ministry of Labor
Employees on sick leave: protected during the first 90 days of accumulated sick leave
Employees on the Birth and Parenting Period: protected during leave and for 60 days after
Employees during military reserve duty (miluim): protected during the service and for 30 days after it ends for ordinary call-ups (service of more than 2 consecutive days). For long call-ups during the Swords of Iron period, the protected window is extended to 60 days after the service for an employee who served at least 60 days within the relevant statutory windows. Dismissal inside the protected window requires approval from the Defense Ministry employment committee (and, for days 31 to 60, the Labor Ministry oversight committee). Verify the current rule, since the temporary extensions are periodically renewed
Employees who filed complaints (e.g., sexual harassment, safety): protected from retaliatory dismissal
Wrongful termination remedies:
Reinstatement (hashava la'avoda)
Compensation for damages
Increased severance pay (up to 150% in cases of particularly egregious termination)
Step 10: Workplace Harassment (Hatrada Minit)
Per the Sexual Harassment Prevention Law, 1998 (Chok Meni'at Hatrada Minit):
Employer obligations:
Every employer with more than 25 employees must adopt a written sexual harassment prevention policy (takanon)
Appoint a designated officer (memune) to handle complaints
Conduct training on harassment prevention
Employers with fewer than 25 employees must still comply with the law but are not required to have a written policy
What constitutes sexual harassment under the law:
Physical conduct of a sexual nature
Repeated sexual propositions after the person has shown disinterest
Repeated references to a person's sexuality when they have shown disinterest
Degrading or humiliating treatment related to gender, sexuality, or sexual orientation
Publication of intimate photographs without consent
Filing a complaint:
Internal complaint to the designated officer (memune) at the workplace
External complaint to the police (for criminal aspects)
Civil lawsuit in labor court (beit din la'avoda)
Complaint to the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (Netzivut Shivyon Hizdamnuyot Ba'avoda)
Statute of limitations: 3 years for civil claims, 7 years for criminal complaints
Protections:
The complainant is protected from retaliation (cannot be fired, demoted, or have conditions worsened)
The employer must investigate complaints within a reasonable time
Failure to act on complaints exposes the employer to liability
Step 11: Disability Accommodations
Per the Equal Rights for People with Disabilities Law, 1998 (Chok Shivyon Zchuyot Le'anashim Im Mugbaluyot):
Employer obligations:
Provide reasonable accommodations (hat'amot) for employees with disabilities
Cannot discriminate in hiring, promotion, or termination based on disability
Must ensure physical accessibility of the workplace
Reasonable accommodations include:
Modified work hours or schedules
Accessible workstation equipment
Work-from-home arrangements when feasible
Modified job duties that do not fundamentally change the role
Additional break time as needed
Key rules:
Applies to employers with 25+ employees (some provisions apply to smaller employers)
The employer is not required to make accommodations that impose an "undue burden" (natel bilti savir)
The employee should notify the employer of the need for accommodations
Disputes can be brought before the Equal Employment Opportunities Commission or labor court
Examples
Example 1: Calculating Vacation Entitlement
User says: "I've worked at my company for 6 years. How many vacation days am I entitled to?"
Actions:
Look up seniority in the vacation table (Step 2): year 6 = 18 gross calendar days (14 net working days for a 5-day week)
Clarify the work week: in a 5-day workplace, the 14 net figure is what the employee actually schedules off
Note any applicable collective agreement that may provide more days
Advise on accumulated unused days from prior years (carry-forward permitted with employer consent over the next two years)
Result: Employee is entitled to 14 actual working days of vacation per year (or 18 calendar days including weekends) with possible carry-forward of unused balances.
Example 2: Severance Pay After Termination
User says: "I was fired after 3 years and 4 months. My last salary was 15,000 NIS. How much severance should I get?"
Actions:
Confirm employment duration: 3 years and 4 months = 3.33 years
Check if Section 14 arrangement applies (most common in tech)
Advise on the 15-day payment deadline and penalty interest for late payment
Verify a proper hearing (shima) was held before termination
Result: Severance of approximately NIS 50,000 (15,000 x 3.33). If Section 14 applies, the accumulated pension/provident fund balance replaces this amount.
Example 3: Sick Leave Rights
User says: "I've been sick for a week. My employer says I only get paid from day 4. Is that correct?"
Actions:
Confirm sick day pay structure (Step 3): day 1 unpaid, days 2-3 at 50%, day 4+ at 100%
For a 7-day illness: day 1 = NIS 0, days 2-3 = 50% each, days 4-7 = 100% each
Verify the employee has a medical certificate
Check accumulated sick day balance (1.5 per month, max 90)
Result: The employer is partially correct. Day 1 is unpaid, but days 2-3 must be paid at 50% (not zero). Days 4-7 are at 100%. The employee should verify their pay slip reflects this.
Example 4: Pre-Termination Hearing
User says: "My boss told me I'm fired, effective immediately. No hearing, no notice. What are my rights?"
Actions:
Explain the hearing requirement (Step 9): the employer must hold a shima before deciding
Explain the notice period: after 1+ years, the employer must give 1 month notice
Advise on immediate steps: send a written demand to the employer citing the lack of hearing
Recommend consulting a labor lawyer or contacting the Histadrut (labor union) for assistance
Note that improper termination may entitle the employee to compensation beyond regular severance
Result: The termination may be unlawful. The employee should demand in writing that the employer follow proper procedure, including a hearing and notice period. If the employer refuses, the employee can file a claim in labor court.
Bundled Resources
Scripts
scripts/severance-calculator.py -- Calculate severance pay based on salary history and tenure. Supports monthly salary, years, and months of employment. Handles Section 14 scenarios. Run: python scripts/severance-calculator.py --help
References
references/labor-laws-summary.md -- Summary table of all key Israeli labor laws with law names, numbers, and key provisions. Consult when identifying which specific law applies to a situation.
references/entitlements-calculator.md -- Tables for vacation days, sick days, convalescence pay by seniority. Quick-reference tables for all seniority-based entitlements. Consult when calculating specific entitlements by years of service.
Gotchas
Israeli sick pay starts at 0% on day 1, 50% on days 2-3, and 100% from day 4. This graduated structure is unique to Israel. Agents trained on US (often no mandated sick pay) or European (typically 100% from day 1) norms will give incorrect payment information.
The Israeli work week standard changed to 42 hours in April 2018. Agents with older training data may still reference 43 hours or 45 hours, leading to incorrect overtime calculations.
Vacation days under the Annual Leave Law are counted in calendar days (a 6-day basis). For the common 5-day work week, the law sets a specific "gross" to "net" mapping (e.g., 18 gross = 14 net for year 6). A blind 5/6 multiplier is not the right formula; use the mapping table in Step 2, which matches the statutory schedule.
Severance pay must be paid within 15 days of termination, after which penalty interest (pitzuyei halanat pitzuyim) accrues automatically. Agents may cite a 30-day or "reasonable time" standard from other jurisdictions.
The pre-termination hearing (shima) is a mandatory procedural requirement in Israel that has no exact equivalent in US at-will employment. Agents may omit this step entirely, which can render the termination unlawful regardless of the substantive grounds.
Cross-references entitlement questions against the All-Rights (Kol Zchut) database
israel-law
For authoritative citations to statute text
Looks up the exact text of the Annual Leave Law, Sick Pay Law, Hours of Work and Rest Law, Severance Pay Law, and Minimum Wage Law
The skill works without these MCPs using the built-in reference tables, but the citations become less specific.
Troubleshooting
Error: "Employer claims overtime exemption"
Cause: Certain positions (senior managers, positions requiring personal trust) may be exempt from overtime rules under the Hours of Work and Rest Law.
Solution: Verify the employee's actual role and responsibilities. The exemption applies narrowly. Having a "manager" title alone is insufficient; the employee must have genuine managerial authority. If disputed, consult a labor attorney or the labor court.
Error: "Employer not making pension contributions"
Cause: Employer violating the mandatory pension order, common with small businesses or new employees.
Solution: First, check the pay slip for pension deduction lines. If absent, send a written demand to the employer. If the employer does not comply within 30 days, file a complaint with the Ministry of Labor's enforcement division (agaf ha'akifa). The employee can also file a claim in labor court.
Error: "Severance not paid within 15 days"
Cause: Employer delay, dispute over amount, or cash flow issues.
Solution: Send a formal written demand (michtav drisha) citing the Severance Pay Law and the 15-day deadline. After 15 days, penalty interest (pitzuyei halanat pitzuyim) accrues automatically. If the employer continues to withhold, file a claim in labor court for the severance amount plus penalty interest.
Error: "Employer refuses convalescence pay"
Cause: Employer unfamiliar with the obligation or claiming the employee has not completed one year.
Solution: Verify that the employee has completed at least one full year of employment. Calculate the entitlement using the seniority table (Step 7) and the current daily rate. Send a written demand with the specific amounts owed. If unpaid, file a complaint with the Ministry of Labor or a claim in labor court.
