Employment equality legislation, 3 March 1988
Annual Review of Population Law 15: 167
1988
ISSN/ISBN: 0364-3417 PMID: 12289294 Document Number: 380158
On 1 April 1988, new employment equality legislation came into effect in Israel. The new legislation outlaws discrimination at work on the grounds of sex, marital status, and parenthood with respect to recruitment, terms of employment, promotion, vocational training, retraining, dismissal, and severance pay. Under the legislation, 1) employers may not cause prejudice to workers who allege discrimination, help others to do so, or decline sexual advances by a direct or indirect supervisor; 2) the burden of proof in discrimination claims against an employer is on the employer if the worker can show that requirements set by the employer have been met; 3) company managers and co-owners in a partnership are personally liable for violations on the part of the employer if the firm has over six workers unless they prove that the offense was committed without their knowledge or that they had taken all appropriate measures to prevent it; and 4) no special rights given to women by law, collective agreement, or other work contract are to be considered discrimination. The legislation establishes a Public Council to advise the Minister of Labour and Social Affairs on implementing and publicizing the legislation. It also allows a father to receive the following work benefits that were previously restricted to mothers: 1) leave of absence to care for a sick child and 2) statutory leave and statutory entitlement to severance pay for resigning to care for a newborn or adopted baby if the father is the sole guardian or if the mother renounces her right because she is working.