Last Updated on October 27, 2021
Working overtime in Israel – employment and labor laws.
Hebrew: שעות נוספות בישראל
Congratulations! You’ve landed your ideal job, it’s going well but after a few months, you boss starts making demands on you. He gives you dirty looks when you leave at 5:00 pm and insists that you work extra hours to meet an upcoming deadline. He says he is paying you ‘globali’. You’re new in Israel and don’t really know what that means or what is expected of you. You want to keep your job but on the other hand you don’t want to be seen as a ‘frier’ – a sucker. What should you do? What are your rights?
The Right to Overtime Hours
Israel Labor laws stipulate that workers who work more than the prescribed number of hours are entitled to payment for each additional hour worked. The law allows for a 43-45 hour workweek – up to 9 hours per day.
Overtime Rates on Regular Work Days
If you work more than 9 hours per day you are entitled to overtime at the following rate:
- Up to 9 hours: regular rate
- Up to 11 hours: regular rate + 25 per cent
- From 11 hours and upwards: regular rate + 50 per cent
- Employment, job & career resources
- Interview questions you could be asked
- Virtual on-line interviews
- Employment terms – Hebrew, English and transliterations
Overtime Rates on Shabbat and Holidays
Labor laws stipulate Saturdays and certain Jewish festivals as enforced days of rest and legal holidays. Two days at Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, the first day of Sukkot, Simchat Torah, the first and seventh (last) day of Pesach and Shavuot are all paid holidays.
Should you be required to work on any of these days, your employer has to, by law, pay additional overtime rates.
Note: Non Jewish employees may take either Friday or Sunday as their day of rest and would therefore not be entitled to overtime on these days.
Is there a maximum overtime?
Israel’s labor laws set a maximum limit of 12 overtime hours per week.
What is a global salary – maskoret globali?
Some employers may suggest a global salary which means you will receive a fixed monthly amount irrespective of the number of actual hours you work. According to Israeli law there are only two conditions in which a global salary is permitted:
- A personal trust position i.e senior management, CEO, CFOs, COOs etc.
- An employee whose working hours are impossible to count or verify – for example traveling sale agents…
In other instances setting a global payment scheme is illegal
Note
Overtime cannot be commuted or transferred to another workday.
Top Tip
Before signing your employment contract, we suggest you consult with a labor law attorney who will look over your employment contract, advise you and update you on revisions to the labor law
