Persons who stopped working as of 2.7.21, will have their claim for unemployment examined under the ordinary conditions of eligibility for unemployment benefits.
How to submit a claim for unemployment benefits is explained on this link
However, there are a number of relaxations and changes to the conditions of entitlement and the amount of unemployment benefits.
Important information! Those going on unpaid leave on their own initiative (even for justified reasons) from 2.7.21 onwards - will not be eligible for unemployment benefits.
Changes in the conditions of entitlement to unemployment benefits
Shorter qualifying period
One of the conditions for receiving unemployment benefits is the accumulation of a qualifying period of at least 12 months of work as a salaried employee in the last 18 months.
A person who stopped working from 2.7.21 onwards, may be entitled to partial unemployment benefits provided that he or she has accumulated at least 6 or 10 months of work.
To learn more about the reduction of the qualification period, click here.
Please note that a person who has accumulated at least 12 months of work will receive 85% of the amount of the regular unemployment benefit.
Payment to a person placed on unpaid leave
The period of unpaid leave entitling to unemployment benefits for a person placed on unpaid leave as of 2.7.21 - will be at least 30 days.
Furthermore, the payment of unemployment benefits will only start after the remaining days of vacation with the employer have been deducted.
Relaxation in the calculation of the period of entitlement to unemployment benefits
During the Covid crisis, many days of unemployment were paid beyond the initial eligibility quota. In order to allow for a return to normalcy and ordinary payment of unemployment benefits – the days of unemployment paid under the emergency regulations during the Covid period will not be taken into account in the following cases:
- A person under 40 returning to unemployment – the number of days for which you will be able to receive unemployment benefits for all of your claims will not exceed 180% of the maximum number of unemployment days to which you are entitled. Additional unemployment days paid during the Covid period will not be counted in the eligibility calculation. For more information, click here.
- Payment of unemployment in successive years – if you filed for unemployment benefits in successive years (e.g., 2020 and 2021), the number of days for which you can receive unemployment benefits for the new claim will be calculated each month based on the days of unemployment you have received in the 11 months prior to the month of payment, even if those days of unemployment were part of the previous claim. Additional days of unemployment paid during the Covid period will not be included in the eligibility calculation.
For more information, click here. - Offset of unemployment benefits on the Discharged Soldier's Preferred Work Grant - if you received unemployment benefits in the 11 months prior to starting your first essential work, a grant will be paid to you at a reduced rate. A portion of the payment received for the unemployment days will be deducted from the amount of your grant. Additional unemployment days paid during the Covid period will not be included in the calculation of the grant amount.
Changes in the amount of unemployment benefit and payment
First five days of unemployment
Similar to the pre-Covid situation, a person who submits a claim for unemployment benefits as of 1.7.21 onwards, will not receive the payment of unemployment benefits for the first 5 days of unemployment during each of the 4 consecutive months of reporting to Employment Service.
These days are not deducted from the quota of maximum unemployment days.
Maximum unemployment benefits
The maximum daily unemployment benefit for the first 125 days of payment will be NIS 501.44 (as of Jan 01, 2024).
From the 126th day of payment, the maximum daily unemployment benefits will be NIS 334.29 (as of Jan 01, 2024), as was the case before Covid.
Payment of unemployment benefits together with another benefit
The right to receive unemployment benefits together with another benefit has been extended until 31.12.21.
During this period, unemployment benefits will not be considered as a double benefit, but as income from work.
The additional benefits concerned are: maintenance (alimony), income support, old-age (for women aged 62 to 67), survivors and general disability (increment for spouses and children).
Amount of unemployment benefit for the jobless under 28 living with a child
The amount of unemployment benefits paid to an jobless person under 28 living with a child, will return to its original rate prescribed by law, starting with the payment for July 2021 (which will be paid in August).
This means that the unemployed under 28 with a child will receive unemployment benefits under the same conditions as a person who has already reached the age of 28.
Please note that the amount will also be updated for those who stopped working before 2.7.21 and are still receiving unemployment benefits.
Unemployed participant in vocational training
A participant in vocational training proposed by the Employment Service will receive for his or her days of unemployment, unemployment benefits at the full rate (and not at the reduced rate of 70% as was the case before Covid).
The possibility of receiving a normal payment during the period of participation in vocational training has been extended until 31.12.21.
It is important to note that unemployment benefits during vocational training are only paid if you have unemployment days left. As soon as these days of entitlement to unemployment benefits are exhausted, the payment will be stopped even if the course continues.
All information about vocational training can be found on this link