Unemployment

If you are an oleh Hadash who has been in Israel six months or more, but less than 12 months, you apply for unemployment support through "Misrad Haklita". Be sure to bring:

• your te`udat `oleh
• te`udat zehut
• bank account information

For everyone else:

1. Go to your local "misrad hata`asuka" (there's one here in M"A in the basement of the mall, next to the Chabad) with the letter from your employer (stating you are no longer employed). They will take your information and "sign you up". You will need to re-appear at that office once a week until you have found a job. It is critical that you sign up as soon as possible, because your unemployment benefits begin from the time you sign up, not from the time you became unemployed!
2. Afterwards, go to the Bituach Leumi (there's a branch here in M"A, close to the Paz station, but it's only open Wednesdays) and file for benefits. Bring copies of your unemployement letter, as well as copies of your paystubs for the past 18 months. If you can't produce those, you will need a form from your employer ("'ishur mehama`asik `al tekufat ha`asaka ve`al vasachar אישור מהמעסיק על תקופת העסקה ועל השכר) detailing your salary over the past X months, so don't bother going until you have that form or the paystubs.

Important to know: it takes these people some time to get working. You will not receive anything from Bituach Leumi for at least six weeks, and maybe more than eight. So try to be calm and don't stop looking for work in the meantime.

Also, if you don't speak Hebrew well, bring along someone to help interpret for you - as missing words here and there and cause you to miss out on important information.