Court Awards Unemployment Benefits After Tech Glitch

A Tel Aviv Labor Court judge has ruled that a job seeker, Kati Sokolov, will receive unemployment benefits for December 2024, overturning a decision by the Employment Service's appeals committee. Judge Tomer Silora found Sokolov's account of attempting to register her attendance at the Petah Tikva employment office plausible, despite the system showing no record of her appearance.

Sokolov claimed she arrived at the office on December 8, 2024, with her son and was directed to a specific counter after a problem with the check-in machine. She was told everything was in order and she could leave. Although she did not keep the resulting slip, she presented other evidence to support her claim.

These included a receipt from a nearby cafe, a "Pango" parking app record, her personal diary, and a school attendance printout showing her son was not at school that day. Sokolov argued these items placed her in the vicinity of the employment office, and that the check-in machines are known to malfunction.

The Employment Service maintained that its internal systems showed no record of a malfunction and that a slip would not have been issued if the machine had failed. However, Judge Silora stated that the probability balance favored Sokolov's version, deeming it highly reasonable given the supporting evidence. He noted that while the appeals committee acknowledged her proximity to the office, they deemed it insufficient proof of attendance.

Silora concluded that it was unlikely Sokolov would travel to the city center with her young son, visit a cafe opposite the office, and then fail to register her attendance if she intended to claim benefits. He acknowledged that malfunctions in the check-in system are possible, making Sokolov's scenario feasible. Sokolov was represented by attorney Yinon Tamari, and the Employment Service by attorney Mital Cohen.