Election Day Rights: Can Employees Be Forced to Work, and What Pay Are They Due?
Translated & summarized from Davar by baba
Election days in Israel are designated as a day of rest, with employees generally not required to work and entitled to regular pay if they have worked for at least 14 days prior. Employers can only require work in essential public services, and employees working on election day are entitled to double pay or compensatory time off. Employers must allow time to vote, and influencing an employee's vote is a criminal offense. Teenagers can work under specific youth labor laws, and temporary election workers earning up to NIS 19,600 have a fixed tax rate.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Election days in Israel are legally recognized as a day of rest, generally freeing employees from work obligations.
- Employees working on election day are entitled to special compensation, typically double pay or compensatory time off.
- Employers can only require work on election day if the workplace provides essential public services.
- Influencing an employee's vote is a criminal offense, and discrimination based on political views is illegal.
- Teenagers can work for political campaigns under specific youth labor laws and are entitled to minimum wage.
- Temporary election workers earning up to NIS 19,600 face a fixed 18% income tax rate.
Election days in Israel are designated as "Yom Shabaton" (a day of rest) by law, meaning employees are generally not obligated to work. Those who have been employed for at least 14 consecutive days prior to the election are entitled to their regular pay for this day, without it being deducted from their annual leave.
The legal interpretation of "Yom Shabaton" typically aligns with voting hours, from 7:00 AM to 10:00 PM, though this may vary in locations where polling stations close earlier. Employers can only require employees to work on election day if their workplace is listed as providing "essential public services" by the Central Elections Committee. Such services include public transportation, security forces, hospitals, communication, water and electricity, as well as restaurants, cafes, and hotels.
Employees who work on election day, whether voluntarily or by requirement, are entitled to special compensation. This is commonly a double salary (200%) for hours worked, or regular pay plus compensatory time off equivalent to the hours worked. This does not apply to foreign workers in specific sectors like nursing, construction, hospitality, catering, agriculture, and industry. The calculation of overtime pay on election day remains a point of legal debate, with differing interpretations regarding the percentage of pay for the ninth and tenth hours of work and subsequent hours.
Employers are legally obligated to allow employees time off to vote, even if they are working in an essential service. Individuals working temporarily for the Central Elections Committee or a political party during the election period, earning up to NIS 19,600, will have a fixed 18% income tax deducted and reduced national insurance contributions, regardless of their usual tax bracket. Teenagers aged 15 can work for parties under youth labor laws, with restrictions on night work and hazardous tasks, and are entitled to at least minimum wage, with double pay on election day itself.
Employees are advised to obtain written employment agreements detailing terms and employer information to prevent wage theft, a common issue, especially for young workers. It is also recommended to keep personal records of hours worked and not to sign wage receipts before actual payment. Those receiving unemployment benefits can work temporarily for parties or the election committee, earning up to NIS 19,600, without affecting their benefit eligibility.
Attempting to influence an employee's vote is a criminal offense, and discriminating based on political views is prohibited by law. While employees generally have freedom of expression, employers can restrict political displays at work if they represent the company externally or could cause conflict. Employers may also intervene in employees' social media posts if they significantly harm the workplace, particularly if the employee identifies their employer or holds a senior representative role. However, a blanket ban on expressing legal political opinions during personal time is not permissible. Public sector and security employees face stricter regulations, with some being completely prohibited from political party membership or public political expression to maintain neutrality.
