War Compensation Appeal Committees Halt Work Over Salary Dispute
Translated & summarized from Globes by baba
War damage compensation appeal committees in Israel have stopped working due to a salary dispute with the Tax Authority, halting over 10,000 appeals worth 5 billion shekels. Committee members claim the Tax Authority is limiting their work hours and underpaying them, creating an unreasonable workload. The Ministry of Finance disputes these claims, stating they increased allocated hours and urging the committees to resume work while offering further dialogue.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- War damage compensation appeal committees halted work over salary disputes with the Tax Authority.
- Approximately 10,000 appeals worth 5 billion shekels are now stalled.
- Committee members cite limited work hours and low pay as reasons for the stoppage.
- They also point to a conflict of interest involving the compensation fund.
- The Ministry of Finance claims to have increased allocated hours and urges resumption of work.
Appeal committees responsible for war damage compensation have suspended their operations, citing the Tax Authority's refusal to pay their members full salaries. This action leaves approximately 10,000 appeals from citizens and businesses, totaling around 5 billion shekels, in limbo. The committee members, who adjudicate claims for damages incurred since the October 7th attacks and subsequent conflicts, announced their work stoppage on Tuesday until their employment terms are resolved.
Committee members argue that the Tax Authority, which is a party to the proceedings they oversee, has limited the number of hours that can be allocated to each case. They contend that a payment model which mechanically dictates preparation hours based on hearing time, regardless of case complexity or actual time needed, is unreasonable. They also highlight that these committees handle cases worth billions of shekels but pay a low hourly wage of about 200 shekels, with an estimated annual cost of one million shekels.
Furthermore, the committee members pointed to a State Comptroller's report identifying a conflict of interest, where the compensation fund is both a party to appeals and involved in the operational management of the appeal committees. They also expressed concern that the Tax Authority's limitations on work hours could compromise the committees' independence and public perception.
The Ministry of Finance stated that it is dedicating all necessary resources to ensure citizens receive compensation efficiently. They claim to have increased the allocation of preparation hours for the committees, contrary to the members' assertions, and that some committee heads reneged on agreements. The Ministry urged the committee heads to resume their work without further delaying the public and expressed willingness to continue discussions on preparation hours and work procedures, while also considering expanding the number of committee chairpersons to expedite case processing.
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