Social Policy (Basic Aims and Standards) Convention, 1962 (No. 117) - Israel (Ratification: 1964)

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2024, published 113rd ILC session (2025)

Articles 1, 2 and 5 of the Convention. Improvement of standards of living. Independent producers and wage earners. The Committee notes the information provided by the Government in its report, which includes details on the minimum wage across various industries and pension payments. It notes that the Government’s report covers the period from 2018 to 2022 and recognizes that circumstances in the country have changed since Israel declared a state of war on 7 October 2023, following the attack by Hamas on Israeli territory (GB.350/POL/4(Rev.1)). It notes that, according to a 2023 OECD Economic Survey of Israel, strong employment gains have supported progress in living standards in the past. Accelerating the integration of population groups with historically weak labour market attachment, which are projected to reach 50 per cent of the population in 2060, up from 30 per cent today, is vital for future growth and fiscal sustainability. The OECD report emphasizes that addressing Israel’s structural challenges is crucial to sustain progress in living standards. The country remains a two-speed economy, with a highly productive high-tech sector on one hand, and low productivity traditional sectors, which employ most of the workforce, on the other. Regarding independent producers and wage earners (Article 5), the Committee notes that the Job Grant programme aims to encourage workers' participation in the labour market, increase the disposable income of low-wage workers, and reduce economic disparities. Employees or self-employed individuals are entitled to a grant if their income from work or business in the previous year did not exceed the legally set limits, and they do not own real estate exceeding prescribed conditions. As of August 2023, 57,465 families in Israel are eligible for income support. The Committee requests the Government to provide updated information, including statistics disaggregated by sex and age, on the impact of policies and measures that aim to enhance the well-being of the population and improve living standards, particularly for minority groups. More particularly, it asks the Government to supply information on inequality rate in the country, (as measured by the Gini coefficient), the relative income poverty rate as well as the rate of spending on social issues, including details of coverage of social protection benefits. It also requests the Government to provide information on measures taken to secure conditions for independent workers, particularly the young independent workers, and wage earners that will enable them to improve their living standards.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2004, published 93rd ILC session (2005)

The Committee notes with regret that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee notes that the reports sent by the Government since 1979 indicate that there has been no change in the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would provide updated information, including possible indications on any difficulties which may have arisen in applying the Convention, as provided in Part V of the report form.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 2003, published 92nd ILC session (2004)

The Committee notes that the Government’s report has not been received. It hopes that a report will be supplied for examination by the Committee at its next session and that it will contain full information on the matters raised in its previous direct request, which read as follows:

The Committee notes that the reports sent by the Government since 1979 indicate that there has been no change in the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would provide updated information, including possible indications on any difficulties which may have arisen in applying the Convention, as provided in Part V of the report form.

Direct Request (CEACR) - adopted 1999, published 88th ILC session (2000)

The Committee notes that the reports sent by the Government since 1979 indicate that there has been no change in the application of the Convention. It would be grateful if the Government would provide updated information, including possible indications on any difficulties which may have arisen in applying the Convention, as provided in Part V of the report form.