Placing employees on Unpaid Leave (Halat) during national emergencies (such as Operation Lion's Roar) involves updated Bituach Leumi regulations applicable retroactively from February 28, 2026 to April 14, 2026.

Required Approval Steps for Benefit Payment:

  • Filing Unpaid Leave Application: Submitting Form 1500 on the Bituach Leumi portal.
  • Employment Service Registration: Registering as a job seeker online immediately upon Halat commencement.
  • Employer Form 100 Transmission: Employer transmits Form 100 confirming exact work cessation date and Halat rationale.

Major Outline Reliefs & Calculation Details:

1. Shortened Minimum Halat Period

In routine times, employees must enter a minimum 30-day Halat to qualify for unemployment benefits. Under the 2026 emergency outline, the minimum Halat period is shortened to just 10 days.

2. Full Payment From Day 1 & No Vacation Deductions

Unemployment benefits are paid from day one without deducting the first 5 days. Furthermore, benefits are paid even if the employee has unutilized accrued vacation days.

3. Qualification Period Reliefs (Seniority Required)

Standard qualification requires 12 work months out of the last 18. Under emergency rules, 6 work months out of 18 are sufficient (and only 3 months for evacuees, reserve spouses 90 days, and disabled veterans).

4. Maximum Entitlement Days Table

Age Bracket Up to 2 Dependents 3 Dependents or More
Under 25 Years 50 Days Maximum 138 Days Maximum
25 - 28 Years 67 Days Maximum 138 Days Maximum
28 - 35 Years 100 Days Maximum 138 Days Maximum
35 - 45 Years 138 Days Maximum 175 Days Maximum
Over 45 Years 175 Days Maximum 175 Days Maximum

5. How Unemployment Benefits Are Calculated

Unemployment compensation is calculated as a progressive percentage of the employee's average daily wage over the last 6 months:

Daily Salary Bracket Workers Aged 28+ % Workers Under Age 28 %
First 207.50 ILS portion 80% 60%
Portion between 207.50 and 311 ILS 50% 40%
Portion between 311 and 415 ILS 45% 35%
Portion above 415 ILS 30% 25%

💡 Calculation Examples:

For an employee earning 6,000 ILS monthly (240 ILS daily), the benefit is 176 ILS per day (4,556 ILS monthly, or 76% of salary). For an employee earning 10,000 ILS monthly (400 ILS daily), the benefit is 258 ILS per day (6,445 ILS monthly, or 64% of salary). For an employee earning 16,000 ILS monthly (640 ILS daily), the benefit is 338 ILS per day (8,468 ILS monthly, or 53% of salary, up to the 550 ILS daily cap for 90 to 125 days).

(Note: The maximum daily unemployment benefit is capped by law at 550.76 ₪ for the first 125 days, with 550 ₪ and 76 cents).

Illustrative Calculation Examples (based on 25 unemployment days per month):

Gross Monthly Salary Estimated Monthly Benefit (Aged 28+) Estimated Monthly Benefit (Under 28)
6,000 ₪ ~4,556 ₪ (76%) ~3,438 ₪ (57%)
10,000 ₪ ~6,445 ₪ (64%) ~4,927 ₪ (49%)
16,000 ₪ ~8,468 ₪ (53%) ~6,464 ₪ (40%)

6. Self-Employed Workers & Extra Reliefs

During the first two calendar months of Halat, employers remain obligated to pay National Insurance contributions for workers, recoverable from subsequent payroll reconciliations.