In a narrow vote, the government rejected a proposal from MK Uri Maklev (United Torah Judaism) that would have allowed working mothers whose husbands are in full-time learning (whether in university or elsewhere) to utilize their sick leave to take care of an unwell child.
In families where both spouses work, either spouse is allowed to use sick leave to take care of an unwell child.
Explaining the government's opposition to the amendment, deputy Economy Minister MK Yair Golan (Meretz) said that, "There's a limit to how much we can extend the public coffers, and the state does not need to fund a spouse who learns." Speaking from the Knesset podium, Golan encouraged his fellow coalition members to reject the bill; ultimately, several dozen government MKs voted in favor, but the bill still failed to pass.
Presenting the bill to the Knesset, Maklev said, "The law as it stands today permits one spouse of a couple to utilize sick leave for the purpose of remaining at home when a child is unwell, only if both parents work. However, if one spouse is a student or Torah scholar and the mother works, the law does not permit her to use her sick leave to remain at home with an unwell child, using the argument that since her spouse does not work, he can remain at home. However, a spouse who learns also has an mandatory schedule that includes set hours and tests to be taken," he pointed out.
Maklev also noted that the government itself, in its supervision of kollelim where full-time Torah scholars learn, demands that the men keep to a strict schedule, and having a sick child at home to take care of is not accepted as a valid excuse for absence.
Furthermore, "In the public sector, in government offices, working mothers are permitted to use sick leave to stay home with an unwell child, even if their spouses do not work; so why won't you approve the same arrangement for the private sector?" Maklev asked. "Especially now, during the coronavirus epidemic, it's much harder to find an appropriate arrangement for an unwell child, and very often a parent has to stay home to look after him.
"To my regret, I have no doubt that if this amendment were to apply only to students [and not to Torah scholars], it would be approved," added Maklev. "But a Torah scholar is not unemployed! This is a clear case of discrimination."
As noted, Golan stated his objection to the amendment and encouraged his fellow coalition members to vote against it, saying that it placed too heavy a burden on the public coffers. When Maklev pointed out, however, that it would not cost the state a penny, given that the sole issue was one of utilizing sick leave, Golan became confused and was unable to explain himself.