Joined Kav LaOved and other organizations in a letter to the Interior Minister, Finance Minister, and Labor Minister asking them to allow asylum seekers to receive their moneys accumulated in the deposit fund for so-called “infiltrators” in light of the current crisis (23-03-2020). On April 23rd, three years after ACRI and six other organizations first petitioned against the so-called “Deposit Law,” the HCJ struck down the law as unconstitutional and demanded that the government return the funds to asylum seekers within 30 days.
Successfully appealed to the Energy Minister and the Israel Electricity Authority to cease the practice of disconnecting vulnerable persons from the electricity grid (15-03-2020).
Successfully appealed to the Construction and Housing Ministry demanding an easing in bureaucracy and a grace period for vulnerable persons paying rent for public housing
Successfully appealed to the head of the National Insurance demanding a freeze on all debt collection from those receiving welfare or retirement benefits (19-3-2020).
Joined other organizations in demanding Tel Aviv Mayor provide a safety net for residents of the city (22-3-2020).
Successfully wrote Bank of Israel to make services accessible to customers with restricted accounts (23-03-2020).
Contacted the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services and the National Employment Bureau to request they ease the criterion to qualify for unemployment benefits during the Corona crisis, for employees who were on sick leave and those who are self-employed.
Along with the Clinic for Human Rights in Society at the University of Haifa, appealed to the Bank of Israel to aid clients in withdrawing their social security allowances (24-03-2020).
Appealed to Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon to urgently intervene in formulating an emergency aid package to assist those unable to economically survive the quarantine (25-03-2020).
Along with the Clinic for Human Rights in Society at the University of Haifa, contacted the supervisor of the Postal Bank and the Minister of Communications demanding that Postal Bank services be adapted to receive customers, especially those receiving welfare benefits (26-03-2020).
Along with the Clinic for Human Rights in Society at the University of Haifa, contacted the National Insurance Institute requesting an emergency arrangement regarding the postponement of collecting debts, and an additional request to translate all information in respect to the issue into Arabic and other languages (26-03-2020).
Sent a letter to the Ministers of Labor and the Interior regarding the need for an emergency arrangement to provide unemployment payments to workers in the process of obtaining legal status in Israel (29-03-2020).
Joined a letter with Bizchut to the Ministry of Social Affairs and Social Services, after which the Ministry responded that they will prepare to treat people with disabilities during the Corona crisis (30-03-2020).
We appealed to the Minister of Finance and the Minister of Health demanding that they use their authority under the Product and Supervision Act and impose supervision over products needed to protect oneself from Corona, such as face masks and hand sanitizer (02-04-2020).
Appealed twice to the National Insurance Institute following their decision to postpone all medical appeal committees to an unknown date, and their refusal to accept our request for a less harmful arrangement. This decision stops many people from being able to receive their disability benefits (05-04-2020).
Petitioned to the HCJ with the Clinic for Human Rights in Society at the University of Haifa against the Banks Commissioner for not opening banks the following Sunday so that pensioners can withdraw their cash. Following the petition, the banks provided debit cards to ease restrictions on withdrawals, and branches were opened to permit in-person withdrawals. The petition was however dismissed, even though the needs of vulnerable pensioners have not all been met. We then applied for contempt of court after not all pensioners received their debit cards and the bank services were limited, and the Banks Commissioner did not know to say how many debit cards were distributed (06-04-2020).
Joined other organizations in a letter to the Mental Health Commissioner in the Ministry of Health about psychiatric inpatient rights during the Corona crisis (07-04-2020).