Israeli Court Awards Palestinian Electric Worker 11% of Nearly 438,000 Shekel Claim

A 30-year-old Palestinian electrician from Nablus who sued his employer for nearly 438,000 shekels in social rights payments will receive just over 48,000 shekels, according to a recent ruling by the Tel Aviv Regional Labor Court. The worker claimed he was employed full-time for five years at a daily wage of 450 shekels, seeking compensation for unpaid overtime, pension contributions, and vacation pay.

The employer contested the claims, arguing the worker was employed for only two and a half years at 77% part-time capacity with a daily wage of 350 shekels, and that all social rights had been fully paid. The court found the employer’s testimony credible and dismissed about 90% of the worker’s claim. It ruled the employment period lasted 31 months starting in March 2020, not five years from 2017 as the worker alleged, citing lack of evidence such as communications or location data.

Regarding overtime, the court accepted the worker’s admission that he worked eight hours on weekdays, disqualifying him from overtime pay for those days. Overtime compensation was granted only for Fridays when work exceeded two hours, surpassing the 42-hour weekly threshold for overtime under Israeli law. The court ordered the employer to pay 48,515 shekels in social rights and an additional 7,000 shekels for legal fees.

The case was handled by attorneys Michael Fostrenk for the plaintiff and Eden Chen-Tohemi for the defendant. The ruling highlights the importance of documentary evidence in labor disputes and clarifies employment terms in the construction sector.