Leave policy in Israel
Explore the leave policy in Israel covering annual leave, sick leave, maternity, paternity leave, and public holidays. Stay compliant with leave laws in Israel.

Israel has a well-structured leave framework governed primarily by the Annual Leave Law, the Sick Pay Law, and other labor laws. Employees are entitled to a minimum of 12 days of annual leave, while eligible employees can receive up to 26 weeks of partly paid maternity leave.
When joining a workplace, employees must be aware of their leave entitlements in Israel. Also, employers must be familiar with statutory leave and the holiday calendar in Israel to manage compliance.
Payoneer Workforce Management helps employers with employee onboarding, payroll, leave management in Israel, and more.
The EOR service helps navigate the leave policy in Israel seamlessly and also assists with tracking leave records to remain compliant.
Vacation & annual leave in Israel
Employees are entitled to an annual leave in Israel for a minimum of 12 days.
The number of days of annual leave in the country depends on the employment tenure. Here are the details:
| Years of Employment | Annual Leave Days |
|---|---|
| 1 Year | 12 Days |
| 2 Years | 14 Days |
| 3 Years | 15 Days |
| 4 Years | 16 Days |
| 5 Years | 18 Days |
| 6 Years | 19 Days |
| 7 Years | 21 Days |
| 8+ Years | 24 Days Max |
Public holidays
There are 9 public holidays in Israel. Here is a list of the public holidays in:
- Purim (For some sectors, mainly in Jerusalem)
- Passover (Pesach) (7 days)
- Independence Day (Yom Ha’atzmaut)
- Shavuot
- Jewish New Year (Rosh Hashanah)
- Yom Kippur
- Sukkot (7 days)
- Simchat Torah
Sick leave in Israel
Employees are entitled to 1.5 days of sick leave in Israel per month. The total accumulation of sick leave in a year is 90 days.
The first day is unpaid, 2-3 days are paid at 50%, and fully paid from the 4th day.
Maternity leave in Israel
Pregnant female employees are entitled to 26 weeks of maternity leave in Israel.
Paternity leave in Israel
New fathers are entitled to paid paternity leave in Israel, using maternity leave.
If both parents agree, fathers can share a part of the maternity leave in the country. However, this is possible only after the first 6 weeks of the paid 15-week maternity leave of the mother.
From the mother’s leave, the father can take up to 7 weeks of leave. The father must meet the eligibility criteria, such as working with the employer for a minimum of 6 months before childbirth.
Other types of leaves in Israel
Along with the statutory paid time off in Israel, employees might take some other leave entitlements in the country. Some of them are as follows:
Childcare leave
Employees can take up to 8 days of sick children under 16. If the employee is a single parent, they can take up to 16 days.
Compassionate or bereavement leave
Employees in Israel are entitled to a 7-day paid bereavement leave for the death of an immediate relative, such as a parent, child, spouse, or sibling.
Wedding leave
Just like compassionate leave, it is not mandatory to provide wedding leave in Israel. However, if employers want, they can grant wedding leave to the employees.
Explore Payoneer Workforce Management in Israel
New employees joining a professional organization must study the leave policy in Israel thoroughly. On the other hand, employers must also be well-versed in the leave laws in Israel for optimal compliance. Vacation planning becomes easy once employees know their leave entitlements in Israel.
Payoneer Workforce Management offers a trusted EOR that helps employers with effective leave management in Israel. The unified platform assists with employee onboarding, payroll, taxes, time-off management, and more.
Frequently asked questions (FAQs)
Payoneer Workforce Management offers a reliable EOR platform that helps employers navigate the leave policy and leave laws in Israel seamlessly. They also extend support in tracking leave entitlements in Israel and assist employers with leave law compliance in the country.
The minimum annual leave in Israel is 12 days. However, according to the Annual Leave Law 5711-1951, the number of days of annual leave for employees increases with the employment tenure. The maximum number of annual leave is 24 days after a certain employment tenure.
Employees are entitled to 1.5 days of sick leave in Israel per month (18 days per year), which can accumulate up to 90 days. The first day is unpaid, the second and third days are paid at 50%, and subsequent days are paid at 100%.
Yes, there are 9 public holidays in Israel, on which employees are on paid leave. These include Rosh Hashanah, Yom Kippur, Passover, and others.
Yes, there is a leave carry-forward policy in Israel for no more than 2 years in total. As per the policy, employees must take 7 consecutive days of leave every year.
Yes. In Israel, fathers can share part of the mother’s maternity leave with mutual agreement. After the first 6 weeks of the mother’s paid leave, fathers may take up to 7 weeks, provided they meet eligibility requirements, including at least 6 months of prior employment.
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