Meretz proposes increased benefits for single mothers

"The law will help many women get into the work force, will help many single mothers leave the cycle of poverty."

By NIV ELIS
Zehava Gal-On at the President's residence 370 (photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
Zehava Gal-On at the President's residence 370
(photo credit: Marc Israel Sellem/The Jerusalem Post)
MKs Zehava Gal-On (Meretz) and Aliza Lavie (Yesh Atid) proposed a bill on Thursday to increase the National Insurance child support payments to single mothers.
Currently, single mothers who earn between NIS 3,000 and NIS 6,000 a month are entitled to child support payments from the National Insurance Institute (depending on how many children they have). The bill would raise the eligibility income to NIS 17,000 – four times the minimum wage.
It would also eliminate a clause that reduces the allotment of every shekel over NIS 600 by 60 agorot.
“There is no justification for preventing those entitled to support, and their children, the child support they deserve from National Insurance,” said Gal- On, arguing that the over-NIS 600 deduction, in particular, discourages work.
“The law will help many women get into the work force, prevent women from doing “dirty work” and will help many single mothers leave the cycle of poverty.”
Lavie, who chairs the Knesset Committee on the Status of Women, said: “The allotment is the safety net of the woman and her children, and should not be a barrier to women who want to march forward [and] escape the cycle of poverty.”
The amendment, which was supported by the Yadid NGO, will go to the Ministerial Committee for Legislation on Sunday.