The government’s ministerial committee for legislation approved on Sunday a legislative proposal aimed at stemming the high school drop-out phenomenon. The bill, proposed by MK Alex Miller (Israel Our Home), stipulates that an employer who wishes to hire a high-school student must receive from the prospective worker’s school a list of hours during which the student is required to be in school.
The employer will not be allowed to employ the student during school hours – and will not be allowed to penalize the worker for not working during those hours. An employer who violates the law will face jail, a fine, or both.
Until now, this law applied only to students up to 10th grade. With the advent in many cities of compulsory education until the end of 12th grade, the new proposal covers all high school students. Education Minister Gideon Saar has lent his support to the bill, which is co-sponsored by MK Zevulun Orlev (Jewish Home), Daniel Ben-Simon (Labor), Danny Danon (Likud), and former Education Ministry Director Ronit Tirosh (Kadima).
“The law is designed first and foremost to fight the drop-out phenomenon,” Miller explained. “The current economic situation causes many students to work while they study, and they often face pressure to work during school hours, or even to give up school altogether.” The law does not prevent students from working after school or during vacation.