Israel's Autumn Holidays Bring Pay Questions for Workers
As Israel's autumn holiday season approaches, workers are seeking clarity on holiday pay regulations. The period, marked by Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, often raises questions about how holiday days are compensated and how they interact with regular weekends.
For salaried employees, holiday pay typically does not affect their monthly income. However, for those paid hourly or daily, specific rules apply for "dmei chag," or holiday pay. The calculation for these workers can depend on the day of the week the holiday falls on. If a holiday coincides with a regular weekend day, separate holiday pay is usually not provided. For instance, if a holiday falls on a Saturday, workers who do not normally work on Saturdays will not receive additional pay for that day, though pay for the following day might be applicable under certain conditions.
Future holiday dates illustrate these complexities. In 2026, Yom Kippur falls on a Monday, and Sukkot and Simchat Torah fall on Saturdays. For hourly and daily workers not working Saturdays, separate pay for these Saturday holidays is generally not expected, though rules may differ for those who do work Saturdays or follow a six-day work week.
The intermediate days of Sukkot, known as Chol HaMoed, are considered regular workdays unless an employer designates them as additional days off. To be eligible for "dmei chag," hourly and daily workers generally must have been employed for at least three months and be available to work on the holiday itself, as well as before and after it. Approved absences do not typically forfeit this right, applying to both full-time and part-time employees. For shift workers, employer-scheduled absences before or after a holiday should not disqualify them from receiving holiday pay.
While holidays falling on a regular weekend usually mean no extra pay for hourly and daily workers, exceptions exist for those working Saturdays or a six-day week, potentially preserving their right to "dmei chag."
