Two Lawyers File Nearly 100 Class Actions Over Hearing Aid Systems in Israeli Businesses

In the past year and a half, two Israeli lawyers, Eran Plesser and Shlomi Avni, have filed at least 93 class action requests against various businesses for failing to install legally mandated hearing aid systems. These lawsuits target stores ranging from food outlets to electronics and clothing retailers, mostly part of larger chains. The legal requirement applies to all chain stores regardless of size, while standalone stores must be at least 150 square meters to be obligated.

The lawsuits claim to represent approximately 700,000 Israelis with hearing disabilities. The plaintiffs, who have hearing impairments themselves, inspect service counters for hearing aid systems and use private investigators to check additional branches. Most cases end in "rewarded withdrawal," where the business agrees to install the system, pay legal fees ranging from thousands to tens of thousands of shekels, and donate to hearing disability organizations. Plaintiffs receive modest personal payments, typically a few thousand shekels.

Critics, including former Deputy Minister Avir Kara, argue that these lawsuits exploit a rarely enforced law pushed by lobbyists for hearing aid companies and have become a financial burden on small businesses. Kara calls the legal obligation "esoteric" and suggests administrative fines would be more appropriate than multi-million shekel lawsuits. The Ministry of Justice is advancing legislation to protect small businesses by requiring prior notice before filing lawsuits, limiting class actions against very small businesses, and capping the number of suits a plaintiff can file annually. However, this bill has stalled since its first reading in 2024.

Lawyers Plesser and Avni defend their actions, emphasizing the importance of enforcing accessibility laws for over a million Israelis with disabilities. They criticize businesses for ignoring legal obligations and argue that people with disabilities deserve equal, accessible service without discrimination. The ongoing legal debate highlights tensions between disability rights enforcement and the impact on small businesses in Israel.