Israel's Autumn Holiday Work Rules Explained for 2026
As Israel approaches the autumn holiday season in 2026, workers and employers are seeking clarity on labor laws concerning holidays, particularly regarding pay and work schedules. The period includes Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Sukkot, and Simchat Torah, with specific dates impacting the work calendar.
For salaried employees, holiday days are generally included in their monthly pay, meaning their salary remains unchanged regardless of these days off. However, hourly and daily wage earners are entitled to "dmei hag," or holiday pay, provided they meet certain conditions. These include having worked at the company for at least three months, being scheduled to work on the holiday, and working the day before and the day after the holiday, unless officially excused. This entitlement is not affected by whether the employee works full-time or part-time, and it remains even if the employer does not schedule them to work immediately before or after the holiday.
When a holiday falls on a Saturday, which is a standard day off for many, employees on a typical five-day work week do not receive separate holiday pay for that Saturday. However, for those on a six-day schedule or whose shifts include Saturdays, holiday pay may still apply if they were scheduled to work. The article clarifies that there is no universal rule for holidays falling on a Saturday; it depends on the individual's work schedule.
Pre-holiday days, known as "erev hag," are considered shortened workdays, typically lasting 7 hours with pay for 8, or 8 hours with pay for 9, depending on the industry and agreements. The intermediate days of Sukkot, "Chol Hamoed," are legally treated as regular workdays, with any time off or reduced hours being at the employer's discretion or per collective agreements. Employers can mandate collective leave for 7 days or more, provided at least 14 days' notice is given and employees have sufficient accrued vacation days; employees cannot be forced into unpaid leave.
If a holiday coincides with a planned annual vacation, the vacation day is not deducted from the employee's leave balance. The handling of holidays during sick leave can vary, with companies' internal policies often dictating whether it's treated as sick pay or holiday pay. For essential work performed on a holiday, employees are compensated at higher rates, with hourly workers receiving at least 150% of their normal pay, and potentially up to 250% in cases of mandatory work, plus an additional day off.
