Israeli Court Orders Attorney to Pay 33,000 Shekels in Labor Dispute
An Israeli labor court ordered attorney Hai Bar-El to pay 33,170 shekels to former employee Nurit Herbst in a wage and dismissal dispute. The court dismissed Herbst's severance claims while penalizing the employer for unpaid benefits and unlawful deductions.
A labor court in Israel has partially ruled on a legal dispute between attorney Nurit Herbst and her former employer, attorney Hai Bar-El, ordering the latter to pay approximately 33,170 shekels in various compensation and wage differentials. The dispute arose after Herbst sent an email in November 2023 stating she considered herself fired due to a lack of response regarding unfulfilled pension fund deposits. At the time, Bar-El was facing legal proceedings that eventually led to a prison sentence.
Court Findings on Resignation and Dismissal
Senior Judge Ravit Tzadik and public representatives rejected Herbst's claims for severance pay, prior notice compensation, and damages for lack of a pre-termination hearing. The court noted that although Herbst's initial email was written in anger and frustration, she failed to explicitly and clearly retract it within a reasonable time. As a qualified labor lawyer, the court emphasized, she was fully aware of legal requirements and could not unilaterally dictate terms to her employer.
Partial Ruling in Favor of the Employee
Simultaneously, the court dismissed several arguments raised by Bar-El, including his claim that Herbst worked less than a 5% position, establishing instead that she maintained a 60% workload. The court also ruled that Bar-El unlawfully deducted three vacation days and failed to provide proper pay slips from September 2022 onward. Ultimately, Bar-El was ordered to pay 33,170 shekels plus interest starting March 1, 2024, which includes vacation pay, wage differentials, and legal expenses.
