Exploitative Hourly Work and Potential Solutions

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Hourly work is intended for positions that are temporary, part-time or non-continuous, or that require special flexibility since the nature of these types of employment might justify hourly wages. However, over the years, employers have increasingly employed workers for long periods of time who work the same amount of hours as full-time salaried workers, but who receive hourly wages because it is significantly cheaper for employers. In fact, certain sectors rely almost entirely on hourly workers, including formal and informal education, retail and sales, restaurants (food and hospitality services), cleaning, gardening, and security. 

Most workers currently employed as hourly workers are from the socio-economic periphery who, due to the lack of bargaining power, limited employment opportunities where they live, and discrimination, are forced to accept worse employment conditions. These workers are essentially working under conditions that should be salaried, but are instead receiving hourly wages in order for the employer to cut costs, while the worker is exploited.  

In response to a Request for Comments published by the Ministry of Labor for a report, Hourly Employment of Workers, ACRI, together with Kav LaOved (Worker's Hotline), Itach-Maaki - Women Lawyers for Social Justice, the Clinic for Labor Rights at Tel Aviv University, the Women's Lobby, the Forum for the Fight Against Poverty, and activists from the Network for Living with Dignity, addressed the violations of the rights of hourly workers, including: uncertainty regarding how much they will be paid each month; particularly low wages during holidays or emergency periods; structural discrimination regarding minimum wage, advanced notice of hours, holiday pay, annual leave, and women's rights; and contractual employment.

The organizations raised a series of proposals aiming to improve the conditions of these workers: 

• Stop “fictitious” hourly employment 

• Work to reduce legislative gaps protecting hourly-wage and salaried workers 

• Address the problems of contractual employment 

• Ensure that workers receive wages during emergencies via legislation 

• Require employers to report to the National Insurance Institute about the manner of employment and number of working hours of hourly workers. 

Position of the organizations, March 31, 2025 (Heb)