Browse through brief employment and labor law updates from around the globe. Contact a Littler attorney for more information or view our global locations.

View all Q1 2024 Global Guide Quarterly updates   Download full Q1 2024 Global Guide Quarterly

Minimum Wage Increase

New Legislation Enacted

Author: Michal Feinberg-Doron, Partner – N. Feinberg & Co.

On March 11, 2024, the Minister of Labor announced that commencing April 1, 2024, the minimum wage for a full-time position will be NIS 5,880 (instead of NIS 5,571.75). The update is in accordance with the automatic update mechanism stipulated in the Minimum Wage Law, according to which the minimum wage will be at least 47.5% of the average wage in the economy. The minimum wage for hourly employees will be NIS 32.3 per hour (instead of NIS 30.61).

The Protection of Employees in Times of Emergency Law (a Temporary Order)

New Legislation Enacted

Author: Michal Feinberg-Doron, Partner – N. Feinberg & Co.

A temporary order that applies retroactively from October 7, 2023, until July 1, 2024, prohibits the dismissal of employees who are evacuees, abductees, missing persons and their family members, who were absent from their work or did not perform work due to the current security situation. The dismissal prohibition also applies to employees who were absent from their work due to the need to watch over their children who are with them due to their spouse’s reserve service.

National Labor Court Ruling Regarding Discrimination Based on Overweight

Precedential Decision by Judiciary or Regulatory Agency

Author: Michal Feinberg-Doron, Partner – N. Feinberg & Co.

In Lipels vs. the Israel Football Association, the National Labor Court issued a ruling prohibiting employment discrimination based on weight. The employee in the case, who was an assistant referee in the Israel Football Association, claimed that the association's decision to remove him from refereeing the top league games was discrimination based on his weight. The National Labor Court reversed the regional court's ruling and determined that the association's decision was, to a significant extent, because the employee was overweight. The court held that although the Employment Equal Opportunities Law does not include discrimination based on weight, weight cannot be a factor in an employer’s considerations and therefore the employee was entitled to compensation.

Policy on the Collection and Use of Biometric Information in the Workplace to Monitor Working Hours

New Regulation or Official Guidance

Author: Michal Feinberg-Doron, Partner – N. Feinberg & Co.

On February 15, 2024, the Privacy Protection Authority (PPA) published a policy on the collection and use of biometric information in the workplace for the purpose of monitoring employees’ working hours. Even though the policy does not prohibit the use of technology for such monitoring, the position of the PPA is that collecting biometric information may be considered a disproportionate measure unless there is a justification for doing so and there is no other alternative. Employers who wish to use biometric information have the burden of justifying the collection and use of this information despite the violation of privacy.

Increased Enforcement for Companies Using Outsourced Employees in the Cleaning, Security and Catering Sectors

New Regulation or Official Guidance

Author: Michal Feinberg-Doron, Partner – N. Feinberg & Co.

New regulations impose obligations on companies using outsourcing services in the cleaning, guarding and security and catering sectors, requiring compliance with the provisions of existing labor laws for workers assigned to their premises.

The regulations apply from January 1, 2024, for new service contracts and no later than January 1, 2025, for service contracts renewed or extended during 2024.