NGO convinces government to pay workers unemployed due to war

As Israel faces an ongoing war in Gaza, the country's leading NGO for advancing public policies for social change, known as 121, has taken a proactive approach to mitigate the conflict’s impact on workers.

One major concern voiced by the organization is the plight of workers in sectors such as construction, services, and industry, which have been severely hampered by the ongoing conflict. The construction sector, in particular, heavily reliant on Palestinian workers, has faced significant setbacks with an estimated 90,000 workers unable to resume their duties.

Facing major setbacks 

Other areas such as services, including malls and shopping centers, and industries in peripheral regions, have also witnessed substantial reductions in income.

In an interview with the Jerusalem Post, 121’s CEO, Tali Nir, elaborated on the lengths the organization went to to push the government to provide financial assistance to workers on leave or facing reduced working hours, ensuring that these individuals are not left without support.

“In the first week [of the war] we gathered 50 organizations, most of them social but also business organizations, and together with them we pinpointed the most pressing needs for the government to address,” Nir said.

“In the beginning, the Finance Ministry and the Minister himself said there will not be any allowances because of the war to unemployed people. So first of all, we had to change their attitude toward that,” she said. “We also saw that compensation was not part of the first plan that was introduced to the public — they talked about compensation for businesses that had losses due to the war, but not to employees that lost their income.”

Despite the government’s initial reluctance, 121’s efforts resulted in the inclusion of compensation for workers who were unemployed or on leave without pay due to the war.

“In the Knesset, we convinced them and so the plan that was passed last week is actually giving assistance to many employees that are not able to work right now,” Nir said, quickly adding “But still there are a few problems that we are trying to solve.”

She outlined ongoing initiatives to further assist affected workers, particularly those in sectors operating on shifts or hourly arrangements. 121 proposes that the government considers the average income of individuals in the six months leading up to the crisis and provides employment allowances based on this average.

New proposals to assist the Israeli workforce

“A lot of the Israeli workforce, like almost a quarter, works shifts. And what happened with them is that many employers reduced the number of hours: sometimes to zero, sometimes to one shift a week. So a lot of their income basically was lost, and they are not covered by the program that the government introduced, they are not covered at all,” she explained.

Additionally, the organization is advocating for support to businesses and employees that can only operate partially due to the current situation. They propose a collaborative effort where the employer pays half of the salary for reduced working hours, with the government covering 70% of the remaining amount, aligning with unemployment benefit rates.

“It can also reduce costs for the government because it is better for them when individuals work part-time [rather than not at all]. This way, the government does not need to provide the full unemployment allowance but only a proportionate amount for the reduced working hours,” Nir added.

While the organization has made strides in influencing policy decisions, there remain ongoing challenges, and 121 continues to navigate these complexities, urging the government to adopt measures that comprehensively support workers and businesses in their path to recovery.

As the crisis unfolds, the organization remains committed to its mission of social change and bridging the gaps that have emerged during these challenging times.