This newsletter brings an account of two forms of State sanctioned systemic discrimination against migrant domestic workers, most of whom are women. First, the courts do not recognize migrant domestic workers’ overtime work; second, the migrant workers’ ombudsman is not authorized to deal with migrant domestic workers’ complaints. 

The State further places migrant workers in a disadvantaged position by decreeing that they must leave Israel within 30 days of work termination. Some employers deliberately stall final payments to migrant workers, making them leave before getting paid. Moreover, State agents sometimes deport migrant workers in violation of explicit court orders, and make it bureaucratically impossible for law abiding employers and workers to maintain their legal employment status. 

Given these State sanctioned rights violations, it is no surprise that migrant domestic workers fall victim to all forms of abuse by employers, ranging from simple payment fraud, to sexual assault and slavery.

We bring a report that summarizes Kav LaOved’s activities concerning Palestinian workers during 2009. We follow up on the report with grim developments concerning Palestinian workers in the Swedish owned Soda Club factory, located in an Israeli West Bank industrial zone.

2009, a year of economic crisis, was a challenge for many Israeli workers. This report summarizes the complaints submitted by Israeli workers to Kav LaOved throughout 2009. In response to a recurring complaint by Israeli workers, the Court ruled against fining workers for premature work termination - a strategy used by employers to prevent low paid workers from seeking better positions elsewhere.

The government, for its part, is so eager to invigorate the economy, that instead of protecting workers it gives grants to employers who violate worker rights.