Election Day Rights: What Israeli Workers Need to Know About Pay
Translated & summarized from Srugim by baba
Israeli citizens voted in the 26th Knesset elections on October 27, 2026. Employees working for the same employer for at least 14 days prior are entitled to regular pay for election day, a designated holiday. Workers who actually work on election day, including those in essential services, are generally entitled to double pay or regular pay plus a day off, though specific rules apply to foreign workers and temporary election staff.
The story in 5 lines · by baba
- Employees working for the same employer for 14 days prior to election day receive regular pay.
- Workers who work on election day are generally entitled to double pay or regular pay plus a day off.
- Essential services like public transport and hospitals are exempt from the election day holiday.
- Employers must allow employees time to vote, even if they work on election day.
- Foreign workers and temporary election staff have specific, often less favorable, compensation rules.
On Tuesday, October 27, 2026, Israeli citizens voted in the 26th Knesset elections. Ahead of the general holiday, the Chief Superintendent of Labor Relations at the Ministry of Labor, Adv. Rivka Rabiner, issued comprehensive guidelines regarding employee rights and employer obligations on election day.
According to law, election day is a general holiday intended to allow all citizens to vote. Employees who have worked for the same employer for at least 14 consecutive days prior to the election are entitled to their regular salary for the day, as if it were a normal workday. This applies even if they do not actually work on election day.
Despite the holiday designation, essential public services are exempt from the shutdown. These include public transportation, gas stations, hospitals operating on emergency schedules, security and rescue forces, media, hotels, restaurants, cafes, and entertainment venues. Specific hours are set for food supply, bakeries, and grocery stores in the morning, alongside urgent court proceedings. However, employers in these sectors must still allow employees time to vote.
For those who do work on election day, particularly in exempted services or at the employer's request, compensation is typically double pay or regular pay plus a compensatory day off. While this is a long-standing practice supported by collective agreements, regional labor court rulings have varied, and the matter has not yet been decided by the National Labor Court.
Special provisions apply to certain groups. Foreign workers in specific sectors like personal care, construction, agriculture, industry, and hospitality receive only regular pay unless their contract or collective agreement stipulates otherwise. Individuals hired specifically for election day duties, such as poll workers and observers, are not subject to standard working hours and their pre-agreed compensation covers all entitlements. Payment for these election workers and party staff must be made within 60 days of the election, outside the regular wage protection law.
