What not to say at work

people spend more time at work than anywhere else and as a result sometimes get too comfortable with their colleagues. The best advice is not to contradict superiors for any reason, do not say things that you wouldn’t want heard (you never know who may be listening) and do not discuss politics, religion or sex. Especially one should keep a lid on when they are new employees (at least until they know who stands where on what). Here are a few examples on the subject….

 http://finance.yahoo.com/career-work/article/111258/what-not-to-say-at-work?mod=career-worklife_balance

http://www.forbes.com/2010/11/08/what-not-to-say-at-work-career-forbes-woman-leadership-coworkers_slide.html?partner=yahoo

http://articles.cnn.com/2008-01-24/living/worst.say.at.work_1_boss-colleagues-tight-lips?_s=PM:LIVING

http://jobs.aol.com/articles/2009/01/27/10-worst-things-to-say-in-the-workplace/

 

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

  

Is bereavement leave mandatory ?

Well, here’s the thing. As strange as this sounds, there is no law that forces employers to pay employees who were on bereavement leave for family members.

Now, most employers in the private sector are sympathetic and will pay the days in full even thought they may not be obligated to by law. 

An employee’s right to payment for bereavement leave can be due to a collective agreement that obligates the employer or in a certain sector or due to a personal contract which specifies payment due to bereavement leave.

Here are a few examples of sectors that have collective agreements for bereavement leave (it is also paid in full in the public sector). 

The Hotel sector:  An employee is allowed to be absent from work during his bereavement, if the deceased is a parent, spouse, child, sibling and his pay is not reduced nor are his vacation days used. This collective agreement has been signed as an extended order and is mandatory for all employees/employers in the Hotel industry in Israel.

Gas stations: An employee who mourns for reason of custom or religion due to death of parents, spouse or siblings, the absent days will not be deducted from his vacation days and the employer will pay the absent days due to bereavement leave. This collective agreement has been signed as an extended order and is mandatory for all employees/employers in the gas stations sector in Israel.

 Operators of heavy mechanical Engineering equipment / rubber industry / leather, seamsters, shoe manufacturers / auto mechanics / printers, offset and book binders / metal, electricians, electronics, software, workshops and small manufacturers / diamond industry / plastic / textile and clothing and transportation: Employees with tenure are eligible for payment for days of mourning for the "shivah" period that they sat according to Jewish law (upon death of parents, spouse, children and siblings). Employees of other faiths are eligible only if they are required by their religion to observe these days for 7 days of mourning (up to 6 actual days depending on the work week – 5 days or 6). This collective agreement also has an extended order and is mandatory for all employers and employees in these sectors.

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

 

 

 

Tax reduction for university graduates

If you completed higher education or vocational training at a recognized university or college in Israel from 2008 and onwards, you may be eligible for a reduction in taxes. You need to fill out a 119 tax form and attach a photocopy of the degree / certificate as well as a letter from the academic institution, which specifies your name and Israeli ID # and the date upon which you are eligible for the degree and the number of years you studied. You also need to check the appropriate box on the reverse side of your annual 101 tax form and attach the 119 form and photocopies listed above to be handed in to your employer (payroll or HR)

There is no need to go to the tax authorities, this tax reduction is given via your payslip directly by the employer.

The 119 tax form can be dowloaded here: http://www.finance.gov.il/taxes/tfasim_mas.htm 

 (you will need to scroll down – the forms are listed by number)

(the form is in Hebrew and instructions are on the reverse side)

The tax reductions are as follows:

1. Individual, Israeli citizen who is entitled to a BA
  
 A) If you are were entitled to your BA in 2005 – 2006;
1/2 of a tax credit point for the number of years studied (up to 3 years max) starting from the tax year following the year of entitlement to the BA.   

  B) If you were entitled to your BA from 2007 onwards;
1 full tax credit point for the number of years studied (up to 3 years max) starting from the tax year  following the year of entitlement to the BA.   

2. Individual, Israeli citizen who is entitled to a MA
If you were entitled to your MA from 2005 onwards:
1/2 of a tax credit point for the number of years studied (up to 2 years max) starting from the tax year  following the year of entitlement to the MA.   

3.Individual, Israeli citizen who is entitled to a Phd (in medicine or dentistry)
A) If you completed your Phd studies in 2005 or 2006;
1 full tax credit point starting from the tax year following the year of completion of studies and for a period of 5 tax years.

B)  If you completed your Phd studies in 2007 or later;
1 full tax credit point starting from the tax year following the year of completion of studies and for a period of 3 tax years,  And 1/2 of a tax credit point during the next 2 tax years.

4. Individual, Israeli citizen who is entitled to a 3rd accademic degree
3rd degree via direct itinerary or Phd of medicine or dentistry only !

5. Individual, Israeli citizen who is entitled to a certificate of profession
An individual, Israeli citizen who has completed studies of a profession and is entitled to a certificate in that profession. from 2006 onwards, is entitled to 1/2 tax credit point from the tax year following the year of completion of studies and for a period equal to the number of years studied, but no more than 3 years.
This includes; teaching (not acedemic studies) of at least 1,700 hours. The certificate needs to be government approved or government issued.

Notes:

A) In 2011 one tax credit point = 205 shekels.

B) Acedemic degree – as recognized by council of higher education law, 1958. A complete list of approved institutions is available here: www.che.org.il

C) An employee may choose between options 1-4 above or 5.

D) If an employee receives tax credits for a BA and later completes a thrid acedemic degree (option 3 above) is entitled to receive the difference according to option 3.

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Payroll consultation services available for employees as well as employers.

 Recommendations can be found here:
http://www.janglo.net/component/option,com_sobi2/sobi2Task,sobi2Details/sobi2Id,1823/Itemid,239/
or here:
http://www.payrollisrael.com/Testimonials

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

What happens to my unused vacation days ?

So, what actually happens to your unused vacation days ?

It really depends on the employer’s policy and whether you are continuing to work for the same employer. The vacation days are annual, but are actually credited each month proportionate to the actual hours worked (full – part time) Too bad you can’t save up for 3 years and then rent a villa or something from sites like https://enjoymexico.net/rentals/cabo-san-lucas/villa-turquesa/. I know, that’s not allowed, but we can dream can’t we?

Employees who are terminated or resign, any remaining unused vacation days they have accrued are paid out on the last payslip.

Some employers have a policy of not carrying forward to the new tax year more than a certain amount of unused vacation days, anything over the amount is erased. This is meant to enhance employees to take vacation and not accrue them. This is also the law’s intent. This policy is legal as long as employee’s contracts specify it and notification is given well in advance, to allow the employees who haven’t utilized their vacation days to still do so.

If your employer doesn’t have a policy of erasing unused days, there may be a ceiling (max number of days) you can accrue. If not,  then any unused days will be paid to you when you resign or are terminated.

 

What can happen when an employer fires a pregnant woman

This is a true story. The names have been changed for obvious reasons.

In 2004, Sharon was hired as a temp replacement. She was well liked and did her job to the employer’s satisfaction. 2 days before completion of 6 month’s tenure, it became known to the employer that Sharon was pregnant. She was fired on the spot.

This despite the fact that the Women’s Employment Law specifies that a pregnant woman from the fifth month of pregnancy and on cannot be terminated without express written permission in advance by the Minister of Labor. This permission is very rarely granted except in extreme circumstances. The employer did not even attempt to procure the permission letter.

 Sharon, smartly filed an anonymous complaint with the Trade, Industry and Labor Ministry’s hot-line.

The Ministry investigated the case, and their attorneys filed a suit against the company for purposefully  ignoring labor laws and infringing on Sharon’s rights as well as discrimination in employment, which in itself is a serious crime.

After some bargaining, the employer agreed to admit to the charges and was fined 80,000 shekels !

Sharon sued the employer in labor court and was awarded compensation for the loss of work until the end of her pregnancy, for the difference in lost maternity stipend from Social Security as well as the time after her maternity leave when she would have returned to her position without the employer being able to reduce her pay, position or fire her for an additional 90 days.

Stand up for your rights !    File complaints against employers who do not obey the law and infringe on what you are entitled to !
Each case is different and the above case is a text book example. In case of doubt consultation is advised. 

 

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

  

 

 

What days cannot be included in employee’s vacation ?

All employees are entitled to vacation days according to law. This is mandatory for all employers in Israel.

The Annual Vacation law specifically states in paragraph 5 the days that shall not be counted as an employee’s annual vacation days:
1) Holidays (days that are not work days because of the holiday, but would have been if it weren’t a holiday). Shabbat, for example, is an off-day anyhow so it doesn’t count as a paid holiday. In shift work or places of employment where Shabbat is a workday, obviously this would apply to Shabbat as well, but might not apply to a weekday that was the employee’s off-day in place of the Shabbat.

The Holidays are: 

2 days Rosh Hashana
Yom Kippur
1st day of Sukkot
Simchat Torah
1st and 7th days of Pesach
Shavuot
Yom Ha’atzmaut (Israeli Independance Day)

 Note: Non-Jewish employees can choose whether to receive their holidays or Jewish Holidays, this via a signed declaration to the employer. 

2) Miluim (active reserve duty in the IDF)

3) Advance notice upon termination/resignation.

4) Maternity leave

5) Sick Day absence

6) Bereavement leave 

 

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

 

 

 

Employee’s Rights Handbook

Soon to be released !

The first ever English language Employee’s Rights Handbook !

This comprehensive guide explains in layman’s terms the makeup of the Israeli payslip, how to read it, explained are the basic labor laws, sick leave pay, vacation, protection of salary, severance pay, women’s employment, overtime, minimum wage, youth employment, work and rest hours, retirement age.

Also included are helpful tips to ensure you receive what you are entitled to:
checklist for terminated employees
starting employment
examples of tax forms
list of important contact information

And much more…..

This is a must for new olim, to better understand the Israeli payroll system, for employers who want to know what their employees are entitled to by law and for anybody who wants to know what employee’s rights and labor laws are.

 

If you are interested in receiving more information as it becomes available, including release date and price – send an email to: mo***********@***il.com with "Employee’s rights handbook" in the subject line and you will be contacted by email when more information becomes available. 

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

 

 

Are you a salaried employee with mutiple employers ? Save on your Social security payments !

If you are employed currently by two employers you may be paying too much social security (Bituach Leumi) and health tax (Bituach Briut) from your secondary place of employment.

First, it’s important to understand that for each place of employment you will need to pay Bituach leumi and Bituach Briut.

There are two rates for each. The first rate is substantially lower, see below. The ceiling for the lower rates is 4,809 shekels.

The rates are as follows:
                                
                                  lower rate       higher rate

Bituach Leumi:                 0.40 %            7.0 %

Bituach Briut:                   3.10 %            5.0 %

 

If at your main place of employment, your gross pay is less than 4,809 shekels, the secondary employer is allowed to deduct from the lower rates for the difference between the ceiling (4,809) and your gross income from the main employer.

Example: you earn 3,000 shekels gross at your main place of employment and an additional 2,000 shekels at your secondary place of employment.
The main employer will deduct from the lower rates automatically acording to your annual statement on your 101 form (that this is your main place of employment). The secondary employer can deduct from the lower rates for the first 1,809 shekels.

In the past anyone who worked at more than one place of employment had to go into their local Bituach Leumi office to coordinate their rates. This involved taking time off from work and bringing the last payslip from all places of employment and Bituach Leumi would issue the employee a letter to the additional employer(s) telling them how to deduct Bituach Leumi and Bituach Briut.

Starting in 2010, Bituach Leumi allows the secondary employer to do the math based on the employee’s signed statement on the 644 form. You will need to fill out and sign this form every year along with the 101 tax form and submit it to your additional employer.

The Bituach Leumi 644 form can be downloaded here: http://www.btl.gov.il/טפסים%20ואישורים/forms/Employers_forms/Pages/BL644.aspx

Note: If you are employed by more than 2 employers simultaneously, then the above does not apply to you – you will need to go in to your local Bituach Leumi office and do a coordination (teum dmei bituach)

 

 

Moshe Egel-Tal, CSPP
Founder and CEO, Israpay   "making payroll simple"

 Site: http://www.israpay.com
 Email:  mo***********@***il.com

Skype: motal7

Snail Mail:  p.o. box 44429 Jerusalem, Israel 91443

 Follow me on social networks: Facebook, xing, twitter, Plaxo, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, Digg, Tagfoot, Myspace    Username: Israpay

 

 

  

 

Severance pay when % of position changes

Usually, when an employee is owed severance pay, the last full payslip is the basis for the configuration of severance pay, or is it ?

For an employee whose pay is monthly based – yes, proportionate to the % of position actually worked, of course.

But, let’s say that an employee worked at a full-time position for 4 years and then at a 50% position for 3 additional years for the same employer.

In this case, the above would not apply. 2 seperate calculations would be needed – one for each of the % of position worked.

Mandatory Pension law

The mandatory pension law was recently updated (Sept 7, 2010).
Originally planned for gradual annual updates from 2008 – 2013, when the mandatory % will reach 15% (5% employee, 5% employer and 5% severance pay -employer)

The new revision now ads another year (2014).
Starting Jan 1, 2014 the mandatory pension will be 17.50% as follows:
employee – 5.5 %
employer – 6.0 %
employer (pension) – 6%

The mandatory pension revision also specifies:
1) that it applies to employees who retired at retirement age and receive a stipend from social security (Bituach Leumi).
2) An employee who begins work at a new place of employment and is insured in a pension plan from his previous place of employment, will be eligible to receive continuation of the existing plan and it’s percentages from day one with the new employer, provided there is no break in monthly payments. If there is  a break, the mandatory pension law will apply.

see the full wording of the original mandatory pension plan here:
http://www.payrollisrael.com/node/49