The Investment Center at the Ministry of Economy is offering a new grant to encourage the employment of target populations throughout Israel.

Within the new scheme, there will be priority for businesses from the Sderot and Gaza periphery areas who employ workers from the target populations (Arab, chareidi, people with disabilities, and single parents).

The unique benefits for employers in the Gaza periphery and Sderot: financial aid for employers employing workers from the target populations, and the possibility of employing up to 30% of new employees from populations not included in the target populations

Economy Minister Aryeh Deri commented “Encouraging the employment of disadvantaged populations in general, and from the periphery and National Priority Areas in particular, is essential in narrowing the social gaps in Israeli society and increasing economic growth. This track enables us to help people with disabilities, minority groups, single mothers and also the chareidim and to help the employers help them. This is good news for the business sector and the manufacturers who are desperate for workers, and, of course, for the employees who will be able to escape the unemployment cycle, gain experience and a profession, support themselves, support their families, and secure financial independence.”

Director of the Investment Center Nahum Itzkovitz added, “For the first time, this directive provides significant prioritization for the absorption of employees in Sderot and the Gaza periphery communities. The prioritization expresses the need for the socioeconomic reinforcement of the residents of this area, and will increase their resilience and ability to withstand emergency situations and crises. This program appropriately expresses the Ministry of Economy’s order of priorities for integration and advancement of disadvantaged population sectors, while also strengthening the Sderot and Gaza periphery communities.”

The Investment Center at the Ministry of Economy is currently publicizing an additional grant to encourage employers to take on employees with a low participation rate in the labor market (Director General’s Directive 4.17). The track is aimed at those employers who this year employed, or intend to employ, workers who are Arab, chareidi, with a disability, or single parents.

The employers whose requests are approved will be able to receive financing from the Investment Center at an average rate of up to 27.5% of the cost of the salaries for a period of 30 months of employment, up to a ceiling of NIS 16,000 cost of salary per employee monthly.

As part of the new grant, it has been decided for the first time to give unique benefits to employers in Sderot and the Gaza periphery communities. For the new benefits, the employers employing workers in plants and companies in the Sderot and Gaza periphery region, will be required to employ or recruit 70% of workers from the target populations (Arabs / chareidi / people with disabilities / single parents), meaning that 30% of the workers who were recruited or employed over the past year can belong to other sectors.

According to the Investment Center at the Ministry of Economy, employers must employ 90% from the target populations and only 10% from the general population in order to qualify for similar grants. The unique benefit for companies and factories employing workers in the Gaza periphery communities and Sderot, is such that employers will be obliged to employ only 70% from the target populations and 30% from the general population – thereby offering greater leeway for employers in these areas.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)