Bnei Brak Municipality Employs Over 200 Retirees Amid Financial Crisis

The Bnei Brak Municipality is employing an unusually high number of workers past retirement age, with 219 individuals over 67 years old on its payroll. Among these, eight are over 80, and one is 94 years old. This comes as the city grapples with a significant deficit of approximately 130 million shekels and faces potential economic collapse, including a warning from the Ministry of Interior about its deteriorating financial state and the threat of a state-appointed comptroller.

The employment of these older workers incurs an annual cost of nearly 40 million shekels. The organization "Free Israel" has criticized this practice, alleging it stems from political cronyism and internal Haredi political maneuvering. They argue that employing dozens of workers beyond retirement age, with monthly salaries reaching tens of thousands of shekels each, and one employee costing nearly a million shekels annually, lacks any reasonable explanation other than political considerations.

In response to inquiries, the Bnei Brak Municipality stated that employing staff up to age 72 is permissible with mutual agreement. However, they committed to conducting a specific review for employees older than that threshold. Ministry of Interior regulations generally allow extensions up to age 70 with occupational physician and committee approval, while extensions beyond 70 require "special reasons" and individual approval.

The data was revealed following a joint request for information from "Free Israel" and the Movement for Freedom of Information. The municipality's internal documents, previously reported in Haredi media, indicated ongoing budget imbalances and cash flow challenges, with the mayor and CEO acknowledging the severe financial situation.