ISRAEL''S NATIONAL INSURANCE INSTITUTE And it''s social services Part 2 Development of the National Insurance System The
NII has expanded its sphere of activity since the original legislation was passed. The year The Service 1959 Child
allowances Seniors and survivors with no source of income other than the basic NII pension became eligible for an income maintenance program that assures them a minimum income. 1965 Child allowances expanded 1968 NII pays old-age pensions to persons not covered by the
National Insurance Law, chiefly recent immigrants. 1972 The Alimony Law, which guarantees a minimum income to women divorced or separated from their husbands if their (ex-) husbands fail to remit alimony as stipulated by court order 1973 Unemployment compensation, is paid for short periods of time to insured persons who are willing and able to work but who, for the time being, have not found work 1974 Disability allowances have been paid to compensate for loss of earning ability and to assure a minimum level of income. This type of insurance also includes a special-services grant to disabled people who depend on others for day-to-day functioning. 1975 An important reform instituted combines the child-allowance system with income tax. The gist of the amendment was the elimination of tax credits based on number of children and the establishment of a standard and more progressive set of child allowances. 1981 An amendment to the Disability Law grants assistance to families that provide direct care for a disabled family member. At present, the general-disability benefit is paid to eligible children from birth to age 18. 1982 NII has been responsible for guaranteeing every resident a minimum income according to standard criteria, under the Income Maintenance Law. 1985 Under the emergency economic-stabilization plan introduced on July 1, 1985, child allowances were eliminated for the first child of families with up to three children, except for low-income families, who were compensated for the cancellation of the allowance. 1988 Since April, the NII has implemented the Long-Term Care Law, which in legal terms expresses the state''s commitment to assist the chronically ill. The state pays (among other things) for chronic-care services and in-home assistance for functionally disabled elderly persons who live in the community. 1990 In August, payment for the second child in three-child families was eliminated, except again for low-income families 1991 As of April, unemployed persons under age 35 are ineligible for unemployment compensation if they reject any job offered, even one that does not match their occupational credentials. Another amendment disqualifies unemployed people who turn down jobs up to 60 kilometers from their place of residence. The training period during which new immigrants are entitled to unemployment compensation was extended from three months to six, thereby equalizing the status of immigrants with nonimmigrants in this sphere. another amendment reduces the rate of unemployment compensation (the percentage of the person''s average income while employed) for persons who earned more than the national average wage or retired at an earlier-than-standard age. A benefit has been paid to insured women who are absent from their jobs for at least 30 consecutive days during pregnancy because of a pregnancy-related medical condition 1992 6.7% of Israel''s elderly were eligible for in-home assistance under this law. The onset of eligibility for income-maintenance allowances was advanced in 1992 to one year from immigration instead of two years. Immigrants are also eligible for disability allowances and special services after three to six months from the date of immigration. Eligible seniors receive a chronic-care allowance upon arrival. The Knesset passed the Single-Parent Family Law, which awards benefits to single parents under both the Income Maintenance Law and the National Insurance Law. The new definition of a sit includes, and expands the benefits for, men and women who were never married or who are divorced or widowed. A new "study grant" is given to single parents who have children of primary-school age. 1993 In March, all child allowances were restored, irrespective of income, making the allowance system universal once again.