Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2011, published 101st ILC session (2012)

Employment Policy Convention, 1964 (No. 122) - Israel (Ratification: 1970)

Articles 1 and 2 of the Convention. Employment trends and coordination of economic and social policy with poverty reduction. The Committee notes the Government’s brief report received in August 2011 which includes replies to the 2010 direct request and labour market studies with regard to the ultra-Orthodox sector, persons with disabilities, and the Ethiopian community. Referring to poverty reduction measures, the Government reports that the pilot scheme which was introduced in several communities has been extended to cover the whole of the country and it estimates that the measure will have an effect on reducing the level of poverty, especially among the lower-paid. It further indicates that the Wisconsin programme, which was successful in increasing the number of persons in employment, was shut down in May 2010, however, an attempt to revive it is under way. The Committee notes an evaluation report of the programme provided by the Government which examines the changes in employment status and receipt of the income support allowance. The main issue covered in the report is the degree of perseverance in employment of those who entered the labour market during the programme. With regard to the Inter-Ministerial Committee to Examine Employment Policy, the Government indicates that a Coordinator has been appointed to oversee all agencies charged with responsibilities in the employment field. In the Government’s view, the appointment will have a positive effect on achieving the objective of increasing the participation rate in the labour market. The Committee notes data made available by the ILO Department of Statistics indicating that the unemployment rate in Israel was 6.1 per cent in 2008, 7.6 per cent in 2009, and 6.6 per cent in 2010. Figures for the second quarter of 2011 measure the unemployment rate at 5.2 per cent. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on the policies and programmes that promote full, productive and lasting employment opportunities to the unemployed. It also asks the Government to include information on how its programmes and policy measures specifically address poverty reduction.

Implementation of active labour market measures. The Government indicates that all programmes created and promoted by the Employment Service are designed, inter alia, to intensify the interaction with the other Ministry Units, such as the intensification of working procedure with the vocational training unit in the field. The Ministry Directorate estimates that these changes will produce positive results in the not too distant future. The Committee requests the Government to provide detailed information on the results of the Employment Service’s measures in increasing productive and lasting employment opportunities to ensure the integration of disadvantaged workers in the labour market.

Specific categories of vulnerable workers. The Government indicates that vulnerable groups of workers have been provided with the appropriate tools for their integration in the labour market. It indicates that these tools should ultimately generate positive results in terms of increasing the employment rate of these vulnerable groups. The Committee notes the policy paper presenting the main points of a research project conducted by the National Economic Council on the issue of removing barriers for employment in the ultra-Orthodox sector. The paper lists the government policy tools that influence the promotion of employment in the ultra-Orthodox sector and concludes by proposing long-term employment targets which represent 63 per cent for ultra-Orthodox men and maintaining the employment rate of 54 per cent for ultra-Orthodox women while raising their rate of participation in professions outside the education sector. The Committee also notes the Summarizing Report on the integration of Ethiopians in the Civil Service in the year 2010 which emphasizes the fact that, on a quantitative scale, the proportional representation of the population is maintained. Members of the Ethiopian community make up about 1.5 per cent of all citizens and occupied 1.31 per cent of all civil servant jobs in 2010 and 1.27 per cent in 2009. The Committee invites the Government to provide information on the impact of measures aimed at increasing the employment level of vulnerable categories of workers.

Article 3. Participation of the social partners. The Government indicates that collaboration exists at various levels between the Government, employer and worker organizations. The Government intends to draw the attention of the Employment Service to this tripartite approach and encourage its adoption to its activities. It further indicates in its report that employer and worker representatives were members of the Inter-Ministerial Committee that examines employment policy. The Committee invites the Government to provide detailed information in its next report on consultations held with representatives of employers’ and workers’ organizations and representatives of other sectors of the economically active population involved in the formulation and implementation of active employment policies.