Vacation pay for adoptive parents

The spouse that chose to take the adoption leave must fill out the form Claim for a Maternity Allowance / Vacation pay for an Adoptive Mother and submit it to the NII branch closest to his place of residence.
The form must include authorization by the welfare clerk regarding provision of the adoption notice. This authorization must show the month and year of the adopted child's birth.

Salaried employees or self-employed workers who adopt a child under the age of 10 and stop working because of the adoption, are entitled to vacation pay equivalent to the maternity allowance, provided that insurance contributions were made for them for the period of time that entitles them to a maternity allowance. The benefit is paid to whichever of the spouses they choose, provided that it is not paid to both spouses at the same time for the same adoption, and that the vacation is no less than 21 consecutive days (for each spouse).

The adoption leave begins on the date on which the child is received for fostering with the aim of adoption. The period of the leave cannot be postponed.

The vacation pay for adoptive parents is calculated according to their gross salary as salaried employees or their income as self-employed workers, in the three months that preceded the first of the month in which they stop working in order to receive the child for adoption.

The rates of the daily vacation pay are calculated according to the total income in the aforesaid three months, divided by 90, but no more than a maximum daily vacation pay benefit of NIS 1,412.50 (as of 01.01.2012) .

An adoptive mother or father who adopts two children on the same day is entitled to an extension of the adoption leave. The spouse that chose to take the leave is also entitled to extend or split the leave if the adopted child must be hospitalized during the regular leave or if the spouse that took the leave is hospitalized.

A parent who adopts a child abroad is entitled to vacation pay from the day he receives the child for adoption, according to the adoption documents.

National and health insurance contributions and income tax are deducted from the vacation pay of the adoptive parents at the rate prescribed by law.

The National Insurance Institute is entitled to deny the right to vacation pay, in whole or in part, for adoptive parents who work outside their household during the period for which they are paid the vacation pay.

If self-employed workers are in arrears in the payment of insurance contributions, the National Insurance Institute is entitled to deduct the debt from the vacation pay that is due to them.

Immediately upon receiving the child for fostering with the aim of adopting, the adoptive parents are entitled to benefits from the National Insurance Institute and are entitled to submit claims for those benefits. There is no need to wait until the adoption order is granted by the court in order to submit the claim.