Israeli Court Awards $140,000 to Municipal Inspector Sexually Harassed by Colleague

A labor court in Tel Aviv has awarded approximately NIS 532,000 (about $140,000) in compensation to a female municipal inspector in Shoham who was sexually harassed by a police officer working alongside her. Judge Doron Yiftach ruled that the harassment caused her significant psychological and functional impairment. The police officer and the local council were ordered to pay the damages.

The plaintiff, 34, began working for the local council's security department in August 2018. She was assigned to shifts with the defendant, a police officer 29 years her senior, who held a senior professional position and could influence her career. The court found that over a six-month period, the officer sexually harassed her through physical actions and verbal remarks. These included unwanted physical contact, such as embracing her from behind, and inappropriate touching during car rides, along with sexually explicit jokes.

In April 2019, the inspector requested not to work with the officer and reported the harassment to her superiors. She also filed a complaint with the Police Investigations Department, though that case was closed. Her employment with the council ended in June 2020.

An initial ruling in January 2024 ordered the officer to pay NIS 100,000 for the harassment but denied the inspector's claim for psychological damages. The council was also found liable for deficiencies in handling the complaint and for wrongful termination. On appeal, the National Labor Court ordered the council to pay additional sums for retaliation and returned the case for assessment of the psychological damage.

A court-appointed psychiatrist determined the inspector suffers from a permanent 20% psychological disability, with 15% attributed to the harassment and 5% to a pre-existing condition. Judge Yiftach accepted this assessment, also finding a 15% functional disability resulting from the harassment. The court rejected the defendants' argument that her prior difficulties significantly limited her employability, noting that while she had faced challenges before, her condition worsened significantly after the harassment, impacting her ability to work.

The final award of NIS 532,273 covers past and future lost earnings, pain and suffering, and medical expenses. National Insurance benefits will be deducted from this sum. The officer and the council are jointly and severally liable, with the officer bearing 85% of the internal responsibility, while the council is held accountable as an employer for its failures in addressing the complaint.