Court Orders Extended Vocational Rehabilitation for Student Facing Threats

An Israeli regional labor court in Tel Aviv has ordered the National Insurance Institute (Bituah Leumi) to grant a 27-year-old student an additional 12 months of vocational rehabilitation. The ruling came after the court determined that a prolonged, ongoing threat significantly impacted the student's life and studies, justifying an extension beyond the standard 12-month period.

The student, who was diagnosed with ADHD and hyperactivity in 2022, was initially approved for vocational rehabilitation in higher education in March 2023, retroactively from October 2022. In December 2023, during his fourth year of studies, he requested a one-year extension. This request stemmed from an incident on October 2, 2022, where he received a video depicting a criminal entering his home with a firearm and threatening him and his wife. The student and his family subsequently filed a police complaint and a restraining order request, forcing them to leave their home for several months, during which his car was also vandalized.

Documents presented to the court indicated that the incident led to psychological treatment, academic failures, and the need to retake courses. The student was later diagnosed with a stable 10% disability due to PTSD. The National Insurance Institute argued that the student failed to prove special circumstances for an extension, noting the incident predated his initial application and he did not report immediate difficulties or suspend his studies.

The court rejected these arguments, stating that the rehabilitation directive does not limit the incident's start date and that its effects continued during his rehabilitation period. The court found the student's explanation for not immediately informing the rehabilitation officer to be reasonable. The ruling also criticized the National Insurance Institute for failing to present a required decision from its rehabilitation department, making it impossible to review the basis for their rejection of the student's request.

Ultimately, the court ruled the student was entitled to the additional 12 months of vocational rehabilitation under a specific directive. As he was represented by the Legal Aid Bureau, no legal costs were awarded against him.