Israel Election Day: Worker Rights and Privileges Explained
Translated & summarized from Cursorinfo by baba
On Israel's Knesset election day, Tuesday, October 27, most workers are entitled to a paid day off. Essential service employees may work, with specific compensation rules applying. Foreign workers and those with less than 14 days of employment may have different entitlements. Refusing to work on a legal holiday is generally not grounds for dismissal, but exceptions exist for essential services.
The story in 6 lines · by baba
- Most Israeli workers are entitled to a paid day off on Knesset election day, October 27.
- Essential service employees may be required to work, with specific compensation rules applying.
- Workers with at least 14 days of employment are guaranteed regular pay for the election day holiday.
- Refusing to work on a legal holiday is generally not grounds for dismissal.
- Certain foreign workers are exempt from election day holiday entitlements.
- Compensation for working on election day often involves double pay or compensatory time off.
Israeli workers will have specific rights and privileges on election day, Tuesday, October 27, when the Knesset goes to the polls, according to the Psakdin portal. While the day is an official holiday for most, certain essential services like transportation and public utilities will operate normally. Labor law dictates when employers can require employees to work, the compensation due, and the consequences of refusal.
Labor law expert Naftali Shor explained that Article 10 of the Basic Law: Knesset designates election day as a national holiday for all workers, with exceptions for those in vital public services. Most Israelis are entitled to a day off without it impacting their annual leave. Employees who have worked for at least 14 days prior to the election are entitled to their regular salary for the day, according to Article 136 of the Knesset Elections Law.
For businesses where election day is a holiday, employees can only be asked to work with their consent, even remotely. Refusing to work on a legal day off is not grounds for dismissal. However, employees in essential services who refuse without valid reason may face consequences for breaching their employment duties, with dismissal depending on the specific circumstances and procedures.
Compensation for working on election day is not a guaranteed double salary for everyone. Established practice and labor court rulings often lead to either a 200% hourly rate or standard pay plus compensatory time off. For example, an employee earning 50 shekels per hour could receive 800 shekels for an eight-hour shift instead of 400, with overtime also compensated.
Certain foreign workers, particularly those in elder care, hospitality, food service, construction, agriculture, and industry, are not covered by the election day holiday entitlement and are typically paid at the standard rate. New hires with less than 14 days of employment may also not receive pay for the holiday if their workplace is closed.
