Discharged Soldiers Law (Reinstatement in Employment) (Amendment No. 19) (Protection of Spouses of Reservists) Bill

What does the bill do?

In this amendment to the Discharged Soldiers (Reinstatement in Employment) Law, 5709-1949, the protection currently set in the law for a reservist was expanded, so that during the protection period of 30 days after the end of reserve service, there is also a ban on reducing the scope of their position or their income without a permit from the employment committee in the Ministry of Defense (in addition to the ban on dismissal). A violation of this provision will be subject to the same provisions that apply to the ban on dismissal, including the possibility of imposing a financial sanction for it. It was also provided that an employer will not dismiss an employee because of the reserve service of their spouse or of the other parent of their child, and if they dismissed them – the dismissal is void, and protection was set for such employees in the Equal Employment Opportunities Law against discrimination as employees or as job seekers – because of the reserve service of their spouses or of the other parent of their child. It was further provided, as a temporary provision, that an employer will be required to receive a permit from the employment committee in order to dismiss an employee who has a child up to age 14, during the period of their spouse's reserve service if the service is under an Order 8 or lasts at least 21 consecutive days, or in order to place such an employee on unpaid leave as detailed in the bill. Eligibility for the protection will be conditional on the employee having notified the employer of the reserve service within three days of the notice of intent to dismiss them or place them on unpaid leave. An employer who dismisses an employee or places them on unpaid leave in violation of these provisions will bear criminal liability and financial sanctions may be imposed on them. This temporary provision will apply for the period until 31.12.2025 and may be extended for periods of up to three additional years. In the period until 31.12.24, it was provided that the protection will also apply in the 14 days after the end of reserve service – and this period may be extended for periods of up to two additional years. Finally, eligibility was set for a one-time grant for employees who have a child up to age 14 and whose spouses serve in reserve service in emergency circumstances under section 8 of the Reserve Service Law, or whose expected reserve service lasts at least 21 consecutive days, and who meet the other conditions set in the law, among them that the unpaid leave is for a period of at least 21 days, in the period from 7.10.2023 to 31.12.2024 (even if the employees went on unpaid leave on their own initiative). Eligibility for the grant will be for the days on which the employees were on unpaid leave during such reserve service, and not more than 30 days. The grant will be in the amount of 70% of the average income as detailed in the amendment to the law. The arrangement will take effect on 16.6.24, but eligibility for the grant will also apply to anyone who went on unpaid leave before the amendment to the law took effect – starting from 7.10.2023. Information about rights arising from the amendment will be included in the information given to soldiers in reserve service about their rights, as well as in the information published on the IDF website.