Social Workers

Israel's welfare system faces a severe labor shortage amid rising demands from wartime hardships and economic pressures, prompting varied proposals from political parties ahead of the 2026 elections.

The Union of Social Workers escalated labor sanctions on Sunday, announcing local authorities will boycott the Welfare Ministry's new disability services pilot due to severe personnel shortages and an average of 208 cases per social worker.

The Ministry of Welfare warns that upcoming budget cuts threaten critical services for at-risk populations, coming on top of severe staff shortages and rising caseloads since the war.

Israel launches a new pilot project via the Ha-Masyet digital platform to combat severe social worker shortages by offering flexible, high-paying part-time roles.

Every year, about 1,500 new social workers finish their studies, but many of them do not reach the public sector, and those who do often drop out within two years. Severe burnout, a salary that does not keep up with the cost of living, and an unimaginable workload push them out. "When I started dreaming about work at night, I realized that was enough."

Ahead of the elections, the Social Workers Union is demanding a cap on the number of cases per professional. Current caseloads are four times the target, with some security sector workers managing up to 1,000 disabled IDF veterans.

Social workers continue to save lives even during air raid sirens, but they pay a heavy mental price. Rates of secondary trauma and burnout are skyrocketing, and the collapse of the system could endanger patients and Israel's social resilience.

The Union of Social Workers at the Histadrut has declared a labor dispute in local government, affecting approximately 7,400 employees. The union claims that the implementation of the Social Services for People with Disabilities Law has added significant burdens without sufficient additional staff, leading to burnout.