Conditions of eligibility


To be eligible for a pregnancy bed rest benefit, you must meet all of six following conditions of entitlement:

Please note that if your claim for the pregnancy bed rest benefit is rejected, in certain cases you may be entitled to a disability pension.

First condition - Residency

You are an Israeli resident.

Second condition - Qualifying period

You are a salaried employee or self-employed, and have paid insurance contributions for at least the last six of the 14 months that preceded the date on which you stopped working due to the need for bed rest. If you didn't work for six months, there are other months that can be included into the qualifying period despite they are not working months - For more information, click here.

Third condition - Risk to the mother or the fetus

You may be entitled to the benefit if you were absent from work for at least 30 days for one of the following grounds:

  • You were forced to be absent from work during pregnancy due to a medical risk to yourself or your fetus, deriving from pregnancy.
    For instance: you did not come to work due to early contractions or uterine cervix opening.
  • You are not able to carry on working due the type or place of work or the way work is performed, endanger yourself or the fetus, and no proper alternative work was found for you at your workplace.
    For instance: You worked as horse riding guide or aerobic trainer and are not able to continue working during the pregnancy.

Important information! A gynecologist from the National Insurance will assess if the ground of the claim for pregnancy bed rest is in line with the criteria.
This physician can ask for clarifications and details on all matter related to your medical situation. If the medical grounds do not justify pregnancy bed rest or if the type of work does not endanger the mother or the fetus, the physician can refuse to approve your claim.

Fourth Condition - Pregnancy bed rest  period

  • The first pregnancy bed rest period must last at least 30 consecutive days. In the event of interruption during pregnancy bed rest, each additional bed erst period must last at least 14 days.
  • If your pregnancy bed rest period lasted less than 30 days, you may be entitled to an allowance if both of the following conditions are met:
  1. You received pregnancy bed rest benefits for at least 30 days.
  2. The National Insurance granted you pregnancy bed rest benefits for a period of at least 30 days, but the childbirth or termination of pregnancy occurred before the end of this period.


Fifth condition - Stay in Israel

Travelling abroad during a pregnancy bed rest period approved for a medical reason negates entitlement to the benefit.
Going abroad during a pregnancy bed rest period approved for a type of occupation that endangers the woman or the pregnancy does not negate entitlement to the benefit.

Sixth condition - Payment from other entities

The benefit will be paid to you, only if you do not receive any payment from another entity regarding days of pregnancy bed rest (for instance: sick pay from employer, employer's insurance, etc.)

Please note that sick leave can be obtained from your employer as well as a pregnancy bed rest benefit from the National Insurance.

  • If you have accrued sick leave days - you can choose between using those sick leave days (in part or in full) during the pregnancy bed rest or receive a pregnancy bed rest benefit from the National Insurance, provided that you meet the conditions of entitlement.
  • If you do receive another benefit from the NII, you can, under certain circumstances, receive pregnancy bed rest benefit as well - to check the possibility of receiving more than one benefit, click here.