The Knesset Plenum today (Wednesday) approved in a preliminary reading the Social Security Bills (Amendment - Unemployment Benefits for the Self-Employed), 5721-2021 by MKs Zvi Hauser, Jida Rinawi Zoabi, Boaz Toporovsky, Keren Barak, Ahmad Tibi, Osama Saadi Gadi Yabarkan, Sami Abu Shehadeh, Moshe Gafni and Mazen Ghanaim, all proposals were approved and forwarded to the Labor and Welfare Committee.
Under the new law, it is proposed to establish a separate insurance industry for the payment of unemployment benefits to the self-employed to be paid in situations of complete cessation of activity or if conditions are set by regulations, and to require self-employed to pay unemployment insurance at rates set by regulations.
At the same time, it is proposed that unemployment benefits for the self-employed be calculated according to the average income of the self-employed for whom unemployment benefits were paid in the two years prior to the date of unemployment, and their receipt will be limited to three maximum cumulative pay periods.
Health Minister Horowitz: "Closure is a last resort" / Photo: Yoni Rickner
The explanatory memorandum reads: "Discrimination against the self-employed and denial of entitlement to unemployment benefits is inconsistent with the purpose of the law and the principles underlying social security theory. "Several months and help them return to the employment cycle. These principles apply to the self-employed as well as they apply to employees."
It was also written that "About half a million self-employed, small business owners, pay insurance premiums that are not much less than the employee of the National Insurance Institute, when this large accumulation of funds could provide the self-employed public in Israel with a social safety net. Small businesses in Israel are significant growth engine "Employment at a relatively high speed. In light of this, the state must encourage entrepreneurs to open small businesses and give them a safety net in the form of unemployment benefits in the event of business closure."
Closed businesses in Jerusalem during the third closure, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
MK Zvi Hauser said that “this is a historic law.
In the last 16 years, 20 bills on the subject have fallen.
We are commanded not to forget the self-employed even now when the fourth wave of the corona is descending.
The time has come to compare the conditions of the self-employed with employees in the economy. "
MK Ahmad Tibi added that "there is hardly an MK who in principle opposed the payment of unemployment benefits to the self-employed but when we brought this law two weeks ago the whole coalition mobilized to overthrow it. Suddenly today there is support for that copied proposal. That's what it is called: Creditomania, the coalition understands what language it is in. "
MK Zvi Hauser, Photo: Oren Ben Hakon
Foreign Minister Yair Lapid responded on behalf of the government: "This moment is a victory of perseverance because for years we have tried from the opposition to transfer unemployment benefits to the self-employed, because they deserve it, they do not ask for anything they do not deserve, they deserve what employees get and this is the opportunity to take care of themselves in more difficult moments."
"There is no benefit here"
MK Eli Cohen objected: "How much is allocated in the budget in favor of unemployment benefits for the self-employed?
Round zero.
Just a week ago they brought a budget here and after approving the budget and stipulating that the self-employed will receive zero budget, they bring this bill.
As an accountant, I will tell you that even today self-employed people can save like employees, which means that there is no benefit here. "
