Minimum Wage 2025: Updated Rates and Workers' Rights

Overview

Minimum wage is the legally mandated minimum that an employer is required to pay an employee for an hour or a month of full-time employment in Israel. The rates are expected to be updated as of April 1, 2025. This payment is your legal right, regardless of citizenship status or type of employment contract.

Who is eligible?

Nearly every salaried employee in Israel is entitled to the minimum wage.

• All employees over the age of 18, whether working full-time or part-time.
• Employees paid on an hourly, daily, or monthly basis.
• New immigrants and foreign workers.
• Employees on a probationary period.

Who is NOT eligible (main exceptions):

• Soldiers in compulsory service in the IDF.
• Inmates working in prisons.
• Freelancers and independent contractors (atzma'im) who issue invoices.

Your Rights

Your primary right is to receive payment no lower than the state-mandated minimum. The rates are updated, and a new amount will be effective as of April 1, 2025. A salary below this threshold is illegal.

The hourly rate is calculated by dividing the monthly minimum wage by 182 hours.

Step-by-Step Guide

If you suspect you are being paid less than the minimum wage, follow this procedure:

1. Review your payslip (Tlush Maskoret). Carefully examine the "hourly rate" (Ta'arif le-Sha'a) and the total "gross" (Bruto) amount. Ensure the hourly rate is not below the official minimum.
2. Contact your employer. It may be a calculation error. It is best to do this in writing (via email) to have proof of contact. Calmly point out the discrepancy in your salary.
3. Send a formal warning letter (Michtav Atra'a). If the employer refuses to correct the error, send them a registered letter demanding payment of the outstanding amount. This is a crucial step before contacting government authorities.
4. File a complaint with the Ministry of Labor. Contact the Regulation and Enforcement Administration (Minhal ha-Asdara ve-ha-Achifa). They are authorized to conduct inspections and impose fines on violating employers.
5. Appeal to the Labor Court (Beit HaDin le-Avoda). This is a last resort if the previous steps have not been successful. You can file a lawsuit to recover unpaid wages and compensation.

List of Documents

To protect your rights, you will need to gather evidence. Always keep these documents:

• Payslips (Tlush Maskoret) for the entire period of employment.
• Employment contract (Hoze Avoda), if one was signed.
• Timesheets, hour reports, or any other record of hours worked.
• Copies of correspondence with the employer regarding salary (emails, SMS, letters).
• Identification card (Teudat Zehut).

Key Considerations

• Gross, not Net: The minimum wage is the amount before taxes and social security deductions (Bruto). The amount you receive (Neto) will be lower.
• Tips are not included: In the restaurant and hospitality industries, tips cannot be part of the minimum wage. The employer is required to pay the established minimum from their own funds.
• Statute of Limitations: You can claim unpaid wages for up to 7 years from the date your rights were violated. Do not delay.
• Commissions and Bonuses: If your salary consists of a base rate and bonuses, the base rate cannot be lower than the minimum.
• Keep all documents: Your main asset in any dispute is the Tlush Maskoret. Never discard your payslips.

Contacts and Links

Exact amounts, complaint forms, and official clarifications are published on government portals.

• Primary Source: The official website of the Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services (Ministry of Labor, Social Affairs and Social Services). Use search engines to find the current website address.
• Consultation Hotline: Information on hotline numbers for labor rights can be found on the same website.

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