Telework in Israel during the COVID-19 pandemic and the related public policy

Abstract

ABSTRACT The telework practice first appeared in the global employment market in recent years and accelerated significantly in 2020 with the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic. This article examines the development pace of this work pattern in Israel during the pandemic and the various regulatory processes enacted in this context. It shows that, rather than a result of planned public policy by policymakers, telework is spreading in Israel as a result of limitations, constraints, and needs in the domestic labour market, on the one hand, and external elements to the Israeli economy, on the other. Hence, while the proportion of teleworkers in Israel’s labour market is clearly on the rise, it has not yet been properly legislated and is evident mainly in the private sector on a voluntary basis.