The Ministry of Finance: the unions and the employers agree to split the pay for isolations

The Ministry of Finance, the Histadrut and the presidents of employers and businesses in Israel have reached agreements on how to pay for the days of isolation. According to the agreement, the isolation days have been reduced from the employee's sick days quota and the payment for the days will be as provided by law. The employee will bear the cost of the first two days and the state and employers will share the cost of the remaining days, so that at the end of the day the total cost will be divided between the employee, the state and the employer. In order to complete the agreement enactment process, the parties appealed to the High Court to extend the existing arrangement. Organizations representing the self-employed and small businesses may object due to the decision not distinguishing between small and large businesses.
The agreement was formed a day before the date set by the High Court, following a petition filed by Adv. Liat Tevel on behalf of "Basket Nursing Services" and the Manufacturers' Association. The outline agreed upon stipulates that an isolation worker will be able to take advantage of sick days at the expense of the isolation period. The payment for sick days will be in accordance with the law: 0% of the sick day on the first day, 50% of the sick day on the second day, 50% of the sick day on the third day and 100% from the fourth day of isolation. The state and employers will share the remaining cost of insulation equally.
It was also agreed that the Histadrut would not declare labor disputes and would not take organizational measures demanding an extension of eligibility. However, the Histadrut will be able to reach beneficial agreements regarding the days of isolation, according to which the employer will be entitled, among other things, to pay the employee 100% of the sick day value, starting from the first day of isolation. The state will not indemnify the employer for the complementary part to the beneficiary arrangement.
At the employers' request, the agreements will not apply to employees who have returned from a private trip abroad. There is an obligation to register regarding the isolation on the Ministry of Health website. , According to the following division: 0% of the salary on the first day, 50% of the salary on the second day, 50% of the salary on the third day, and 70% from the fourth day onwards, this payment will be fully funded by the state.
In order to complete the procedure for enacting the agreements, the parties applied to the High Court to extend the existing arrangement by 28 days. The indemnity to the employers will also be given retroactively for the month of October.
The Minister of Finance, Israel Katz: "In these difficult days, we are required more than ever to give full protection and security to each and every one of the employees. I welcome the agreement reached, with important cooperation between the parties, which will directly and uncompromisingly assist the business sector. On the part of the State of Israel, on the consequences of the corona crisis. "
The chairman of the Histadrut, Arnon Bar-David, added: "Since the outbreak of the crisis, we have proven more than once that only real cooperation between the parties can restore hope and strengthen Israeli society from within. We do not know how long this crisis will accompany us, but we do know that the gaps are worth bridging. We must all continue to do our utmost to keep the economy afloat and embark on a path that will enable its recovery and growth. The agreements reached, despite the disagreements, produce a proper balance in the world of labor relations. "
The chairman of the employers 'presidency and the president of the Manufacturers' Association, Dr. Ron Tomer: "I hear the voices demanding that all days of isolation be at the expense of the state or the employee, "Significant of the costs. This is a huge step that helps the business sector, which began with a petition we filed with the High Court at the beginning of the Corona crisis against the recognition of isolation as a disease, and ends with the state taking responsibility."
The presidency of the business sector, headed by Dubi Amitai: "While the business sector is bleeding and busy surviving in light of the severe economic crisis in the country's history, the Ministry of Finance announces a scandalous and shameful agreement aimed at enacting a bypass law." Israel, which will lead to unprecedented damage even to workers who will have to spend their sick days on isolation days and will not be able to take advantage of them this coming winter due to a real medical condition. The state is grossly erasing the sick days of workers in Israel.
"We call on the Prime Minister and the Minister of Finance to intervene in the matter and instruct the finance officials who proved their detachment from the harsh reality, to provide the Treasury with the funding needed for the isolation days and also call on the Histadrut chairman to recover and save the sick days Add in the presidency.
"The Ministry of Finance has found a weak link, which does not represent the employers in the economy but only the big industry and is trying to make a dangerous snatch both in its time and especially within us, which will lead to economic crushing of the business sector." The presidency of the business sector, which represents the vast majority of employers in the economy, small and large, does not agree and does not intend to cooperate with an arrangement that would mean chaos between workers and employers that would have far-reaching implications for morbidity. And the funding for the days of isolation. "
President of the Crafts and Industry Association, Yossi Alkobi: "The Manufacturers' Association has made a snatch whose price will be paid by all employers in the economy. Again, the seventy make decisions for the hungry. It is amazing that on days like this, when most small businesses in Israel are closed and closed, while the large factories continue to work, the Ministry of Finance and the Manufacturers' Association plan how to make more money from them. There will not be and will not be. We will not accept this outline and will not hesitate to take all steps - including the cancellation of the collective agreements with the Histadrut. "
President of Lahav, Adv. Roi Cohen: "Who is isolation - not at our expense! There is no consensus on the outline proposed by an entity that does not represent the self-employed public and small businesses, but rather represents manufacturers and large businesses. There is no IMI plant law