The Employment Service published data this morning (Sunday) about the state of the labor market in the shadow of Operation Roaring Lion.
Since the beginning of the campaign, 142,209 new job seekers have registered, the vast majority of whom (81.7%) were placed on unpaid leave. As of this morning, the total number of job seekers in Israel has crossed the 300,000 mark, standing at 304,635.
The most prominent figure in the report is the high proportion of women among the newly unemployed (over 60%).
An in-depth analysis by the Employment Service reveals the “motherhood paradox" of those paying the price: mothers of children under 18 make up 40% of all new registrants, compared to just 23% in the month preceding the operation. As the operation continued and the education system remained closed, the share of mothers exiting the workforce increased-from 29% in the first week to 43% in the third week.
Although this group typically has the highest rates of remote work in the economy during normal times, the lack of childcare frameworks made working from home impossible, leading to a mass shift to unpaid leave or unemployment.
The Director General of the Employment Service, Inbal Mashash, addressed the findings, saying: “Even in the era of remote work, mothers bear the heaviest employment cost during emergencies. The data require a systemic perspective and the provision of supportive solutions for working parents. The Employment Service will continue to monitor trends and assist job seekers in navigating this challenging period."