What rest break and meal break entitlements does an employee working in Israel have?

The Work and Rest Hours Law 5711-1951 (*Hok Sheut HaAvoda VeHaMenucha*) is the primary legislation governing working hours and rest entitlements in Israel. Section 20 of the Law requires that any employee whose working day exceeds six hours be given a break of at least 45 minutes in total, of which a minimum of 30 minutes must be uninterrupted. For employees in specific sectors — such as factory workers on production lines or transport workers — additional sectoral regulations may specify longer breaks or different timing arrangements. The break entitlement sets a statutory floor: collective agreements, employment contracts, or workplace policies may and often do provide for longer or more frequent breaks than the statutory minimum.

For foreign employees working in Israel, several practical points stand out. The mandatory break is generally unpaid unless the employment contract expressly states otherwise — this surprises workers from countries where break time is automatically included in paid working hours. Employees also hold the right to a weekly rest period of 36 consecutive hours under Section 7 of the same Law, which for Jewish workers normally falls on Shabbat and for non-Jewish workers can be arranged on a different day. The Ministry of Labor's Work Authority (*Rashut HaAvoda*) enforces working hours legislation and can inspect workplaces and issue administrative fines for violations. Employees whose break entitlements are systematically denied may file a complaint with the Work Authority or bring a claim in the Regional Labor Court (*Beit Din Ezori LAvoda*). Our full guide to employment law in Israel for foreign nationals covers all the key statutory entitlements in one place.

From the full guide: Employment Law in Israel for Foreign Nationals and Expats

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