We are glad to announce that according to a decision made by the Knesset, as of June 1st, 2021, eligibility for unemployment benefits will be extended in favor of people aged 45 and older who received unemployment benefits during the Covid crisis, and meet the conditions of entitlement to the extension (detailed below).
Important information! The supplement of unemployment days will be automatically updated on your website's Personal Service account in next few days - there is no need to file an extension application.
Conditions of eligibility for the extension
The supplement of unemployment days will be provided to those who meet the two conditions below:
First conditions - Age
You have reached 45 by 1.7.2021 (included). It means that you were born up to 1.7.1976 (included).
Second condition - You have received unemployment benefits during the Covid crisis
You were paid unemployment benefits for some or all of the unemployment days initially granted to you between the months of March 2020 and June 2021. Initial unemployment days = 175 or 87 days of eligibility you were granted by law and not according to "Covid crisis emergency regulations".
Please note that those who ended their unemployment days in January or February 2020 (before Covid), and obtained unemployment benefits during the corona only based on "Covid crisis emergency regulations", are not eligible for the extension.
Where to find that information? You can check when you started receiving unemployment benefits according to "Covid crisis emergency regulations" on your website's Personal Service account > Under the unemployment tab > Unemployment clarification > Days of eligibility > Remarks
Until when unemployment benefits can be received?
Those who fulfill the conditions of eligibility, will receive a supplement of unemployment days that can be utilized until the 31.12.2021, and after that deadline any remaining days will expire.
The supplement of unemployment days is calculated as follows:
- If you have received all your initial unemployment days - you are entitled to a supplement of 50% of your initial unemployment days:
- If you had a 12-month qualifying period when submitting the claim and were granted 175 unemployment days - you will receive 88 extra unemployment days to be utilized up to 31.12.2021.
- If you had between 6 and 11 months of qualifying period when submitting the claim and were granted 87 unemployment days - you will receive 44 extra unemployment days to be utilized up to 31.12.2021 (although eligibility for unemployment was originally granted under Covid regulations).
Where to find how many initial unemployment days were approved? website's Personal Service account > "Letters" tab > View the letter sent to you upon your claim approval. - If you have unemployment days left - you are eligible for those days with a supplement of 50% of the unemployment days you have utilized between March 2020 and June 2021.
For instance, if you have utilized 120 days out of your 175 days of eligibility, your entitled to 115 extra unemployment days (your remaining 55 days + 60 days, or 50% of the days you have utilized).
Amount of unemployment benefit
The amount of unemployment benefit for the supplement of unemployment days will be 85% of ordinary unemployment benefit.
The amount of unemployment benefit for your remaining unemployment days will be paid at 100% for those with a 12-month qualifying period, and at 90% for those who accrued between 6 and 11 months of qualifying period.
What else should you know?
Unemployment benefits paid with another allowance
The right to receive unemployment benefits with another allowance has been extended up to 31.12.2021 In that period, unemployment benefits will be accounted as work income instead of double benefits.
Additional allowances include: maintenance (alimony), income support, old-age pension (for women between 62 and 67), survivors pension and general disability pension (increment for spouses and children).
Payment to those attending vocational training
The right to receive 100% unemployment benefits for those attending vocational training on behalf of Employment Service has been extended until 31.12.2021 (and not at a 70% rate).
All information regarding unemployment benefits during vocational training detailed in this link.
Submitting a new claim
People aged 45 and older who have accumulated a qualifying period (of at least 6 months of work over the last 18 months) and stopped working as of 1.7.21 onwards, may submit a new claim for unemployment benefits instead of the automatic eligibility extension. This means that their unemployment benefits will be calculated upon their updated income and their days of unemployment may be exercised over a 12-month period (and not by 31.12.21).
For more information about submitting a new claim after 1.7.21, click here