From the Liveblog of
Sunday, March 8, 2026
Smotrich: Government working to arrange unpaid leave for parents with children under 14
Add ToI as a Preferred Source on GoogleSharon Wrobel is a tech reporter for The Times of Israel
Finance Minister Bezalel Smotrich says the government is working on a plan that would provide unpaid leave for parents with children under the age of 14.
Smotrich says the plan will allow employers to place employees on state-funded leave to assist working parents. Educational institutions are closed this week but some workplaces are open.
Further details about what state-funded benefits and grants will be given to businesses and employees will be announced soon, Smotrich adds.
Similar unpaid leave models were retroactively implemented during the coronavirus pandemic and the war with Iran last June.
According to the emerging plan, one parent in families with children under the age of 14 will be able to take unpaid leave and stay home for as long as the education system remains shut due to the war with Iran.
“It is important for me to clarify: the Home Front Command’s guidelines that allow people to go back to work are not binding,” says Smotrich. “We understand that not everyone can return to work when the education system is closed, and in the coming days we will announce a special compensation plan that takes this into account.”
“Anyone who can go back to work in accordance with the guidelines is blessed and contributes to the resilience of the home front, morale, and the economy,” he says. “At the same time, we will provide a safety net for everyone, while understanding that not everyone can return to work.”
Workers taking unpaid leave will be protected from termination.
Opposition Leader Yair Lapid criticizes the government for “telling parents to take unpaid leave because their children are at home during a war.”
“How does the finance minister think these people will pay the supermarket or their electricity bill?” Lapid asks.
At the same time, the Finance Ministry says it is working on formulating a plan that will be announced in the coming days to compensate businesses, including people who are self-employed and whose incomes have been hurt.
The Times of Israel Community.