Civic Service Law, 5777-2017

חוק שירות אזרחי, תשע"ז-2017

Published: 2017-04-05Consolidated Hebrew text as of 2025-08-06 · Last amended 2025-08-05✓ Amendment status checked against the Knesset legislation record on 2026-09-17

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Unofficial English translation — for reference only. It may contain errors or omissions and cannot be relied on as a legal text. Only the Hebrew text published in Reshumot is legally binding.More

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The Hebrew text as published in Reshumot (ספר החוקים) and on the Knesset website is the sole authoritative and legally binding version. In any discrepancy, the Hebrew text prevails.

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First Schedule (Sections 7(c), 8(b), 20(c)(3), 55(16), 105(b)(1) and 106)

1.§

(a)

(1)A volunteer who serves five days a week is entitled to 22 days of leave for each year of service, which shall be counted as part of the service, and if the volunteer serves six days a week – to 26 days of leave for each year of service, which shall be counted as part of the service;

(2)The dates of the leave referred to in paragraph (1) shall be determined by the operating body; in making such determination, the operating body shall take into account, as far as possible, the wish of the volunteer, subject to the dates of activity of the operating body.

(b)Without derogating from the provisions of subsection (a), a volunteer is entitled to days of leave on holidays, which shall include –

(1)with respect to a volunteer who is Jewish – the festivals of Israel as their meaning in section 18a of the Law and Administration Ordinance, 5708-1948 (hereinafter – the Law and Administration Ordinance), and Independence Day;

(2)with respect to a volunteer who is not Jewish – the festivals of Israel or the holidays of the volunteer's community as their meaning in section 18a of the Law and Administration Ordinance, at the volunteer's choice, and Independence Day.

(c)A volunteer is entitled to rights as would have been granted to the volunteer had the volunteer been an employee, with respect to paid absence from employment on an election day to the Knesset under section 10 of Basic Law: The Knesset, and on Memorial Day for the Fallen of Israel's Wars under section 4a of the Memorial Day for Israel's Fallen Law, 5723-1963.

2.§

(a)A volunteer is entitled to be absent from service due to illness, pursuant to a medical certificate, for up to 20 days in a year of service, which shall be counted as part of the service.

(b)Notwithstanding the provisions of subsection (a), the Director or a person authorised by the Director for that purpose may authorise a volunteer to be absent from service due to illness beyond the 20 days referred to in that subsection, if the Director has found that there is special justification for doing so, provided that the total period of absence shall not exceed 90 days, and the Director may require the volunteer to obtain an additional medical opinion or consult a physician on the Director's behalf and take into account the duration of the absence in relation to the actual duration of the service; the period of absence authorised by the Director under this subsection shall be counted as part of the service.

3.§

(a)A volunteer is entitled to a break of half an hour during a day of service in accordance with the practice prevailing among employees of the operating body, and also to a break for prayer during the day in accordance with the requirements of the volunteer's religion.

(b)A volunteer is entitled to a break of at least 12 hours between one day of service and the next.

(c)

(1)A volunteer shall not serve in night service except with the authorisation of the Director;

(2)Without derogating from the provisions of paragraph (1), where the Director has authorised a volunteer to serve in night service in an operating body to which the Work and Rest Hours Law, 5711-1951, applies and which operates on shifts, the volunteer shall not serve in night service for more than one week in a period of three weeks;

(3)In this subsection, "night service" means service of which at least two hours fall between 22:00 and 06:00.

4.§

A volunteer shall not serve during the weekly rest within the meaning of section 7 of the Work and Rest Hours Law, 5711-1951, unless the operating body holds a general permit for the employment of employees during the weekly rest or the service is in an activity of a youth movement or youth organisation that the Minister of Education has confirmed has received support, according to the criteria for the purpose of support, in the financial year preceding the year in which the service was performed; for this purpose, "criteria for the purpose of support" means criteria for the purpose of support by the Ministry of Education for public institutions under the Foundations of Law, 5740-1980, for support of youth movements or youth organisations, as the case may be.

5.§

The provisions made under the Work Safety Ordinance [New Version], 5730-1970, shall apply, with the necessary modifications, to an operating body in relation to volunteers.

6.§

A volunteer shall receive information and training for the prevention of work accidents and occupational diseases, in accordance with the provisions made under section 8e of the Labour Inspection (Organisation) Law, 5714-1954.

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Second Schedule: Violations of Acts Required to Secure the Rights of a Volunteer Referred to Service Abroad, Including the Securing of Payments, Benefits and Conditions of Service for Volunteers in Service Abroad (Sections 73(a)(2) and 106)

Third Schedule: Undertaking of an Operating Body (Sections 56(3) and 106)

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