The Knesset Welfare Committee passed a bill in its second and third reading, a bill that will provide measurable assistance to parents R”L who have a child who is very ill. The bill, which is authored by MKs Uri Maklev and Moshe Gafne, permit parents of children whom are very ill to take up to 90 days leave annually without fear of losing their jobs. As Maklev put it, “We are giving parents a bit of breathing space”.

The bill permits parents to use their sick days and vacation days to care for their children up to a maximum of 90 days annually.

The bill includes children requiring dialysis or other complicated chronic illness.

The current law permits parents to take time off if a child has cancer but the new bill expands the illnesses covered to chronic conditions as well as other serious illnesses not mentioned in the current law. Before moving ahead with the bill, Gafne and Maklev consulted with Health Minister Yaakov Litzman and Finance Minister Moshe Kahlon.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)