Unemployment Insurance

Unemployment benefits are paid to an unemployed person  aged 45 and over and to an unemployed person aged 35 and over who has at least 3 dependents for a maximum period of 175 days; to an unemployed person aged 35 and over who does not have 3 dependents and to an unemployed person aged under 35 with 3 dependents for a maximum period of 138 days; to an unemployed person aged over 25 and under 35 who does not have 3 dependents for a maximum period of 100 days; to an unemployed person aged under 25 who does not have 3 dependents for a maximum period of 50 days; for a demobilized soldier within the first year of demobilization for a maximum of 70 days.

A person who is registered at the labor exchange as lacking work,who is ready and able to work at any suitable work ,to whom the labor exchange has not offered such work.

Age: Between 20 and retirement age, and in some  cases also between 18 and 20.
Qualifying period 360: days for which insurance contributions have been paid out of 540 days prior to unemployment.
For an employee receiving a daily wage: 300 work days out of 540 days prior to unemployment.

The age at which the insured person is eligible for old-age pension, conditional on means test. The age gradually rises until, at the end of the process, it will reach 67 for men and 64 for women.

The daily rate of unemployment benefit is calculated as a percentage of average daily wage for the 75 days prior to the first of the month on which the unemployment period began.

The amount of unemployment benefit per day in the first five months shall not exceed the average daily wage in the market NIS 306.52 (as of 01.01.2008) , and as of the sixth month shall not exceed 2/3 of the average daily wage in the market NIS 204.35 (as of 01.01.2008) .These benefits take into account the 4% deduction mandated by the Emergency Economic Program Law.

A demobilized soldier is entitled to unemployment benefit to the amount of 28% of the average wage.

No unemployment benefits are paid for the first five days of each consecutive four month period

An unemployed person aged 35 or over who was referred by the employment bureau to work at wages lower than the unemployment benefit to which he/she would be entitled, can claim from the NII a supplement of up to 75% of the wage which served as the basis for the calculation of his/her unemployment benefit.

An unemployment person aged under 35 who has worked at low wages, as described, for at least 75 days, can claim a grant from the National Insurance Institute.

The grant rate is the difference between 75% of the wage which served as the basis for calculation of the unemployment benefit and the actual low wages.

An eligible person whom the employment bureau refers to a vocational training course and has begun training during his/her eligibility period will be paid unemployment benefits for the days that supplement the maximum unemployment period to which he/she is entitled. The unemployment benefit will be 70% of the employment benefit to which he/she would have been entitled had he/she been unemployed.

Notwithstanding the above-stated, a person undergoing a vocational training course who is under 35 years of age and whose education totals less than 12 years is entitled to unemployment benefit for the period of study, even for a period exceeding the maximum unemployment days to which he is entitled, but not exceeding 138 days.

In order to receive unemployment benefit for the first time, one has to apply to the branch of the National Insurance Institute near the place of residence and submit a claim for payment. To  downloaded the form please click here.

Under the National Insurance Law, a one-time grant is paid to demobilized soldiers who worked at preferred job.
 Work in industrial plants and workshops will entitle the recipient to only 80% of the full grant payment

A job in a workplace listed in required job, on condition that it is not suitable work for the person thereby employed.