"The struggle is for all the workers throughout the State of Israel, and especially for the weakened workers - this is not just a struggle of the unionized workers," said Histradrut chairman Arnon Ben-David. "The outline for the payment of the isolation days we have reached is balanced and does not give an opening for exploitation, and it is a pity that it has become a farce on the backs of the workers who remain exposed."
Finance Minister Israel Katz has been working to pass legislation to ensure that the state pays for half the cost of keeping Israeli workers in coronavirus quarantine.
The lost workdays would be paid as sick days, and the proposed law would see the other half of the cost paid by employers. Some politicians and businessmen have called for the state to cover the entire cost.
Following the Supreme Court ruling last month that days spent in COVID-19-induced isolation can’t be written off as sick days, workers must give up their pay and lose income if they can’t work from home.
Some employers are willing to shoulder half of the cost, but others, such as Dubi Amitai, chairman of the Business Sector Presidency trade association, argue that the state should cover the full cost.
Hagay Hacohen contributed to this report.