· Labour law · Translated from the Hebrew original
The Notice to Employee Law
The employer must give a new employee written notice of the terms of employment within 30 days of the start of work (for a minor employee, within 7 days). Any change in the terms requires an updated notice.
What must appear in the notice
- The identity of the employer and of the employee.
- The start date, and in a fixed-term contract also the expected end date.
- A description of the position and its main duties.
- The name and position of the direct supervisor.
- The amount of pay, its components, and the date and manner of payment.
- The length of the working day and week and the weekly rest day.
- Social contributions: pension, study fund, and the contribution rates of both sides.
- Any collective agreement or extension order that applies to the line of work.
Why this matters more than it seems
The notice is not a form but evidence. When a dispute arises over pay, an hourly rate, the scope of the position or a promised bonus, the court examines the documents. Where there is no notice, the burden of proving the terms of work often shifts to the employer, and this usually decides the case.
Compensation for failure to provide it
The court may award the employee compensation without proof of damage, up to ₪15,000. In addition, failure to provide the notice is a criminal offence on the part of the employer. In practice, this claim is almost always raised together with the main claim.
The payslip: the second document
Beyond the notice, the employer must provide a detailed payslip every month: hours and days worked, rate, overtime, vacation and sick days accrued and used, contributions and deductions. A partial or fictitious payslip is also grounds for compensation without proof of damage.
The minimum payment threshold
Any amount above the minimum wage can be agreed, but not below it. The minimum wage is updated from time to time, and for part-time work it is calculated proportionally. An employee's consent to a wage below the minimum is not valid, and the difference can be claimed.
What to check in the first month
- Whether you received a written notice and not only verbal promises.
- Whether the rate in the notice matches the actual payslip.
- Whether overtime appears on a separate line and is not "included" in the pay.
- Whether pension contributions began on time.
- Whether hours are recorded: it is what decides any dispute over hours.
When the notice is updated
Any material change (pay, position, scope of the job, supervisor, workplace) requires an updated notice to be provided within a short time. A unilateral change for the worse without the employee's consent does not become valid merely because it was recorded in a notice, and in certain circumstances it gives grounds for resignation treated as dismissal.
Contract workers and manpower agencies
An employee engaged through a manpower agency or a service contractor is also entitled to a full notice, stating who the actual employer is. In security, cleaning and catering, favourable extension orders apply and are worth checking: they set additions that do not appear in the personal contract.
What to do when no notice was provided
Request it in writing, in a message that is documented. Keep the job advertisement, the correspondence and the payslips. The demand for the notice and for compensation does not depend on whether you are still employed, and the limitation period is seven years.