Working in Israel on Purim.

Purim is just around the corner. The stores are full of gift baskets and the children are making the final adjustments to their costumes.

A practical question for employees:

Do we have to work on Purim?

What are the holidays in Israel?

First, it's worth remembering the holidays in Israel. These days are considered holidays.

Here are the public holidays in Israel:

• 2 days at Rosh Achana
• 1 day at Kippur
• 2 days on Sukkot (the first day and the eighth day).
• 2 days at Pesach (first day and seventh day).
• 1 day at Shavuot
• 1 day for Yom Atsmaout (Israeli Independence Day)State of Israel)

Thus, Purim was not defined as a day of celebration.

Your employer is therefore entitled to ask you to work on that day.

Special agreement or labor contract in Israel

However, it is important to point out that in some workplaces an agreement or convention which allow you to be paid, without coming to work, on the following days:

• Purim
• Oshana Raba (7th day of Sukkot)
• The eve of Kippur
• May 1st
• 9 Av (fast day)
• Yom Azikaron (commemoration day for fallen Israeli soldiers)

In conclusion - You must come to work on Purim.

If the workplace has not agreed otherwise, an employee who does not come to work on Purim will not receive pay.

This will therefore be considered as a paid vacation deducted by his employer.

Read also: How does paid vacation work in Israel?

Finally, it's worth pointing out that an employee is entitled to take a day off for Purim, and the employer will be obliged to grant his request.

To do this, you must notify your employer at least 30 days before the desired date.

In other words, if you have a day off more than 30 days before Purim, your employer cannot refuse you that day. He can't "force" you to come to work if you've given him more than 30 days' notice.

You'll be paid for this day as if you were at work, but you'll simply have one less day off.

(Provided, of course, that you have enough vacation days left).

The firm would like to take this opportunity to wish you a happy Purim, always full of joy, health and happiness.