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Legal protection of vulnerable groups of workers
Some workers need special protection – pregnant workers and those after birth, young people, workers with disabilities, older workers and migrant workers – and Israeli law protects them from dismissal and discrimination, restricts hazardous work and requires reasonable accommodation.
Why it matters in the exam
Items on this topic ask about the rights of a pregnant worker under the Women's Employment Law: a ban on dismissing a pregnant worker who has worked for the same employer for at least six months without a permit from the commissioner at the Ministry of Labour, maternity leave of 26 weeks of which up to 15 are paid as maternity allowance by National Insurance for those eligible, the right to be absent for pregnancy check-ups, and restrictions on certain jobs during pregnancy and breastfeeding. A doctor is sometimes asked what his role is: to give a medical recommendation on adjustments when the work may endanger the woman or the fetus, not to recommend stopping work automatically. Other items deal with young people – the Youth Employment Law sets a minimum age, limits hours and night work, and forbids hazardous jobs – and with workers with disabilities: the Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law forbids discrimination in hiring and requires reasonable accommodation, as long as it is not an undue burden on the employer. Also tested are older workers (retirement age is not a reason to declare unfitness; assessment is functional) and migrant workers, whom the employer must insure for medical care and who are at high risk of injury because of language barriers and inadequate training. Remember that good protection is not blanket exclusion from work but adjusting the work to the worker, and that a decision to restrict should be based on the actual risk.
Key points
- A pregnant worker who has worked at least six months is protected from dismissal without a permit.
- Maternity leave is 26 weeks, up to 15 of them paid for those eligible.
- The Youth Employment Law limits hours, night work and hazardous jobs.
- A worker with a disability is entitled to reasonable accommodation.
- The right protection is adjusting the work, not blanket exclusion.
Summary table
| Group | Main legal protection | Doctor's role |
|---|---|---|
| Pregnant worker | Ban on dismissal without a permit after six months of work, absence for check-ups | Recommending adjustments when there is a risk at work |
| After birth | Maternity leave of 26 weeks, up to 15 paid for those eligible | Assessing return to work and breastfeeding |
| Young people | Minimum age, limits on hours and night work, ban on hazardous jobs | Assessing suitability for work when required |
| Worker with a disability | Ban on discrimination and duty of reasonable accommodation | Describing abilities, not only limitations |
| Older worker | No declaration of unfitness by age alone | An individual functional assessment |
| Migrant worker | Medical insurance paid by the employer | Training in an understood language and access to care |
Free exam questions
Cai et al. The impact of occupational activities during pregnancy on pregnancy outcomes: a systematic review and metanalysis. Am J Obstet, 2019 על-יפ המאמר ,האם עמידה ממושכת מעל ל- 3 שעות נמצאה כגורם סיכון בהריון? (the question as examined, in Hebrew)
- א. לא נמצא קשר בין עמידה ממושכת ותוצאות ההריון
- ב. כן , נמצא סיכון מוגבר להפלות
- ג. כן , נמצא סיכון מוגבר ללידה מוקדמת וילודים הקטנים לגיל ההריון
- ד. כן , נמצא סיכון מוגבר לכאבי גב בהריון
בת 26 , ברקע– :השמנה BMI 41 , נוטלת גלולות מגיל צעיר בשל מחזור לא סדיר, מתייעצת לגבי הריון עתידי. מהי ההמלצה המתאימה? (the question as examined, in Hebrew)
- א. יש לחסנה לשעלת(Pertusis) כ הכנה לקראת ה.היריון
- ב. יש לדחות ניתוח בריאטרי לאחר השלמת תוכניות הילודה שלה
- ג. בדיקה לרמת החומצה הפולית
- ד. ההשמנה מעלה את הסיכון למום פתוח בתעלה העצבית בעובר
נערה בריאה בת 16.5 .מגיעה בלוויית אמה מציינת איחור בווסת של- 5 שבועות. בדיקת הריון ביתית חיובית פעמיים. מקיימת יחסים בלתי מוגנים עם פרטנר קבוע. אינן מעוניינות בשימור ההיריון. מהי ההמלצה לגבי הפסקת הריון תרופתית? (the question as examined, in Hebrew)
- א. ניתן לתת מרשם ל Mifepristone 600 מ"ג וביקורת רופא נשים תוך 3 .ימים מנטילת הכדורים
- ב. ניתן לתת מרשם ל- (Postinor) Levonorgestrel 1.5 mcg וביקורת רופא נשים תוך 3 ימים מנטילת הכדורים
- ג. האפקטיביות של הפלה תרופתית בטרימסטר ראשון גבוהה, אך משבוע 9 פוחתת בכ- 5%
- ד. שיעור הסיבוכים בהפלה כירורגית בטרימסטר ראשון כפול מאשר בהפלה תרופתית
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Sources
- Israel, Women's Employment Law (חוק עבודת נשים), 1954, as amended — Protection of pregnant workers; maternity leave
- Israel, Youth Employment Law (חוק עבודת הנוער) and Equal Rights for Persons with Disabilities Law, 1953 and 1998, as amended — Minimum age and restrictions; equality in employment
- ILO, Maternity Protection Convention (No. 183), 2000 — Health protection and employment protection
Sources are given for further reading; the text is written afresh and not copied from them.
Reviewed by the Examqo AI Professor · 2026-11-06. The text may contain errors; when in doubt, check the source.