2023-10-12 13:01:07
The Histadrut’s main information and service center, which normally handles inquiries regarding labor laws, workers’ rights, trade unions and the Histadrut’s benefits basket, has become in the last four days an integrated emergency center – from requests and questions from workers regarding their rights to assistance to families from the border settlements.
“Already last night we started preparing conversation scripts, questions and answers,” says Hasia Bachar, director of the Histadrut’s information and service center. “Now there are 8 workers at the center, and two more workers from home.”
“People have a lot of uncertainty when it comes to working in the emergency situation, and we come across a lot of situations. Each operator receives a complete kit of questions and answers. We do a lot to reassure them. Both with information and with other things. The conversations don’t end with the question- Answer, people also want to vent, talk, share.”
On a daily basis, they are used to providing answers to employees all over the country regarding employee rights, benefits, agreements and more. But due to the situation, a large activity was added to the center. “Families from the south started calling and asking us to help them. We realized that this was the order of the day, and that we could not stand by.”
Therefore, at the initiative of Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David, the center also began to serve as a center for psychological support and psychological counseling, together with the Union of Social Workers and Israeli Psychologists, who joined the task and staffed the positions with more than 100 professionals. Later, they also undertook Rehabilitating families – taking them out of the fire range, concentrating referrals and evacuation to Histadrut facilities, apartment hotels and wherever possible – and succeeded in rehousing dozens of families. All of this goes through Bacher and her team.
“The load is great and blessed, but despite the difficult mental situation, even though there are children at home, even though there are sons and daughters and husbands in the field, even though almost every one of us knows someone who was murdered or is currently a prisoner – we make sure to be reassuring, helpful and professional as always, and manage it in a way the best there is”.
What is asked the most?
“What do I do if I am required to work from home and I have small children who have frameworks? What if I am afraid to go to work because of the situation, and who will give me the compensation?” Answers to all of these can be obtained from the workers of the Moked, in the published guide and on the dedicated page published by the Histadrut.
Frequently asked questions that have come to Moked in recent days:
If I am at home due to orders from the Home Front Command or looking after a child, who pays me?
“It will be determined according to the regulations and agreements that will be signed. The starting point is that we are currently at war, and yes, the compensation is determined retrospectively according to law. Later, the chairman of the Histadrut and the Ministry of Finance will sign an outline of compensation for the workers, as in past cases.”
What about couriers, taxi drivers, bus drivers and road workers, who roam the roads and are not near a protected area?
“Depends on the region, according to the instructions of the Home Front Command. In most of the country there is no prohibition to work. I recommend consulting with the Home Front Command and receiving security instructions for any question about working in the field.”
What about self-employed, freelancers and those who submit receipts?
“Self-employed persons and freelancers should contact the Tax Authority directly regarding damage to their work, and they are entitled to claim compensation from the property tax compensation fund.”
Can the employer release employees due to the situation?
“The employer can immediately take out employees for up to 7 days of paid vacation, and only if the employee has enough accumulated vacation days for this. If there are no accumulated vacation days, the vacation is at the expense of the employer, and beyond 7 days – the employer is obliged to give 14 days notice in advance. With regard to spending on unemployment benefits, the employee’s consent is required.”
Following the directives of the Home Front Command, there are no classes all over the country. What do parents do with children who cannot go to work because the children are at home?
“If there is a child at home up to the age of 14 or a child with special needs up to the age of 21, one parent may be absent from work and watch over him, the employer must pay him a salary and not fire him.”
What about single parents, especially if they are essential workers?
“A single parent may be absent from work and watch over the child even if he is an essential worker.”
What happens in a situation where both parents are essential workers?
“In any case, one parent remains to watch over the children. As for who stays, the decision is up to the parents.”
If an employee from the southern region works in an essential factory, but is evacuated from his home and is not in the work area?
“He is obliged to come to work as an essential worker, in accordance with the instructions of the Home Front Command.”
What about an employee with anxiety or trauma?
“Anxiety and trauma are medical events for everything. Of course you can always talk to the employer, and I call on employers to be flexible and consider the employees, but as long as an employee goes to a doctor or a professional and receives a sick certificate, he is of course allowed to be absent from work at the expense of sick days.
“If there are no accrued sick days, this should be handled by the National Insurance – the victim is entitled to apply to the National Insurance and claim temporary or permanent disability. If the situation continues, the victim may be entitled to a percentage of disability according to his injury.”
For any question regarding labor laws and rights at work, whether you are an employee, self-employed or freelancer, you can contact the Histadrut at hotline *2383. The telephone service is provided between 6:00 p.m. and 8:00 a.m. On top of that, you can receive service by email, by sending a WhatsApp message to the number: 054-8678673 and in the Histadrut application. Outside of business hours, you can leave an inquiry that will be answered the next day.
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