Ministers to vote on giving vacation to parents on first day of school

The bill is one of many which have been proposed recently to help parents.

By GIL HOFFMAN
Updated: JUNE 16, 2017 00:39
Education Minister Naftali Bennett meets with pupils at the start of the 2015/16 school year (photo credit: SASSON TIRAM)
Education Minister Naftali Bennett meets with pupils at the start of the 2015/16 school year
(photo credit: SASSON TIRAM)
Parents will be able to legally take off from work on the first day of school, if a bill that will be voted on Sunday by the Ministerial Committee on Legislation is approved.
The bill is sponsored by Meretz faction chairman Ilan Gilon and MKs from four other parties.
The MKs said the bill is intended to help parents who have no choice but to use vacation days on the first of school, which is as little as one-hour long, depending on the age of the child.
“Every parent or grandparent should be allowed to accompany children to their first day of school,” Gilon said.
The legislation would not apply to parents who are teachers. The bill does not mention the age of children to which it would apply.
The bill is one of many which have been proposed recently to help parents. Others have included lengthening the school year to be more in line with work schedules.
Grandparents will be able to take off work to help grandchildren who are out of school sick at home, according to a bill submitted his week by a group of Kulanu MKs led by Deputy Minister in the Prime Minister’s Office Michael Oren.
That bill would apply to children up to age 12.