Disabled Israelis Can Work Without Losing Welfare Payments

July 28, 2008

Israel’s disabled population scored a major victory last week when the Knesset passed an amendment to the Disabled Employment Law, which will allow them to earn more money without losing disability benefits. Until now, disabled Israelis who earned more than $1,000 a month had their disability welfare payments withdrawn. The new law enables welfare payment recipients to earn 93 percent of the average Israeli salary, currently about $2,000, before being required to relinquish their welfare payments.

Yoav Kraim, Director of NIF grantee Israeli Human Rights Organization of People with Disabilities, said that last week’s amendment ended a five-year struggle to change the law. “This amendment releases many Israelis with disabilities from a vicious circle of depression,” he observed.

Yoav Kraim triumphed after a five year struggle.

Welfare Minister Isaac Herzog described the amendment as “a dramatic revolution in the lives of the disabled.”

Currently, only 20,000 of the 171,000 Israelis who receive welfare payments also work. Following this amendment the Welfare Ministry expects this number to increase sharply. 

Israeli Human Rights Organization of People with Disabilities is supported as part of NIF's Disability Rights Program, which seeks to make Israeli society more tolerant and accessible for Israelis with all types of disabilities.