Working Hours and Overtime in Israel

In Israel, your company must comply with working hour and overtime laws – including daily limits, overtime thresholds, and rest requirements – to stay compliant and build a strong employee experience.

Looking ahead to 2026, enforcement of working‑time rules in Israel is expected to remain strict, with continued focus on accurate timekeeping, proper classification of managerial and exempt employees, and transparent overtime calculations. Employers should regularly review policies, employment contracts, and scheduling practices to ensure they reflect current legislation, collective agreements, and any new guidance from the Ministry of Labor, while also leveraging technology to monitor hours and prevent systematic overwork.

• Standard Working Hours
• Overtime Thresholds
• Overtime Pay Rates
• Daily And Weekly Rest Requirements
• Night Work Restrictions
• Penalties For Non-Compliance

What Are The Standard Working Hours In Israel?

An employee whose age is 17 or younger has a maximum of 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. An employee whose age is 18 or older is allowed to work 42 hours per week. A minimum meal interval of 45 minutes must be observed by employees who work more than 6 hours in a day. In typical working hours, Monday through Friday, the hours are 8:00 to 17:00.

Maximum Working Hours In Israel

Under Israeli law, the standard workweek for most adult employees is 42 hours, usually spread over 5 or 6 days, with a standard workday of up to 8.6 hours in a 5‑day week or 8 hours in a 6‑day week, excluding breaks. Daily working hours – including overtime – generally may not exceed 12 hours, and weekly hours – including overtime – are capped by law. Employers must schedule working hours in advance, record attendance accurately, and ensure that employees do not exceed statutory limits without proper authorization and documentation.

Industry-Specific Exceptions

• Healthcare And Hospital Services
• Security, Guarding, And Emergency Services
• Hospitality, Hotels, And Restaurants
• Transportation And Logistics Operations
• Agriculture And Seasonal Work
• Continuous Process Manufacturing And Industry

Managerial And Exempt Employees

Certain senior managerial employees and employees whose working conditions make it impossible to supervise their hours may be exempt from some working‑time and overtime provisions under the Hours of Work and Rest Law. However, the exemption is interpreted narrowly by Israeli courts. Simply giving an employee a managerial title or paying a global salary is not sufficient – the employee must genuinely have broad authority, high‑level responsibility, and real independence in determining their schedule. Employers should carefully document the basis for any exemption, ensure that employment agreements clearly describe the role and level of autonomy, and periodically review whether the employee’s actual work pattern still justifies exempt status.

Statutory Full-Time Working Hours In Israel

Statutory full‑time employment in Israel is generally based on a 42‑hour workweek for adult employees. Many employers implement a 5‑day workweek, typically Monday through Friday, with approximately 8.6 hours per day, while others operate a 6‑day schedule with shorter daily hours. Collective agreements and extension orders in specific sectors may define slightly different full‑time norms, which then affect overtime thresholds and entitlement to benefits such as paid leave and social contributions. Employers should clearly define full‑time hours in employment contracts, align them with applicable collective arrangements, and ensure that any work beyond those hours is treated and compensated as overtime where required by law.

Overtime Regulations In Israel

What Counts As Overtime In Israel?

In Israel, overtime is generally any time worked beyond the statutory full‑time schedule – usually more than 42 hours per week for adult employees – or beyond the standard daily hours set for the workplace, typically 8 to 8.6 hours per day. Overtime must be expressly requested or approved by the employer, recorded accurately in timekeeping systems, and compensated at premium rates. Employers cannot rely on global or inclusive salary arrangements to avoid paying overtime unless a narrow legal exemption applies, and even then, the arrangement must be clearly documented and reflect the employee’s actual working pattern.

Maximum Overtime In Israel

Israeli law limits the amount of overtime an employee may perform to protect health and safety. Daily working hours, including overtime, generally may not exceed 12 hours, and weekly overtime is capped at a limited number of hours, subject to an overall monthly maximum. Employers must monitor overtime carefully, avoid systematic reliance on excessive overtime, and obtain any required permits from the Ministry of Labor for special arrangements such as continuous shift work or night work. Scheduling practices should ensure that employees receive adequate daily and weekly rest in addition to any overtime performed.

Overtime Payout Rates In Israel

Overtime in Israel is typically paid at escalating premium rates based on the employee’s regular hourly wage. The first two hours of overtime in a workday are usually paid at 125% of the regular hourly rate, and any additional overtime hours in the same day are paid at 150% or more, depending on the applicable law or collective agreement. Work performed on weekly rest days or public holidays is generally compensated at even higher rates, often 150% or more plus alternative rest time. Employers should define the calculation method in employment contracts, ensure payroll systems correctly apply statutory and sector‑specific rates, and keep detailed records to demonstrate compliance in the event of an audit or claim.

Rest Periods And Breaks In Israel

Employees in Israel typically work up to about 8 to 8.6 hours per day and 42 hours per week, and the Hours of Work and Rest Law links rest periods directly to these working limits by requiring meal breaks during longer shifts, minimum daily rest between workdays, and an extended weekly rest period. As an employer, you must structure schedules so that employees receive their statutory breaks within the standard workday, as well as uninterrupted daily and weekly rest, even when overtime or shift work is required.

• Meal Break Requirements
• Daily Rest
• Weekly Rest
• Minors
• Employer Duties