Labour law6 min read8/12/2026

A Teenager Working Part-Time in Israel: Minimum Wage, Night Shifts, and Underpayment

A “trial shift,” payment from tips only, and a deduction for a broken plate—the worker’s young age does not make these practices legal. We explain how much a teenager is entitled to receive, when they must be allowed to return home, and which documents can help them claim unpaid wages.

Numbers and facts

•₪26.07 per hour—the minimum wage for those under age 16 as of 01.04.2026
•₪27.94 per hour—the minimum wage for those under age 17 as of 01.04.2026
•₪30.92 per hour—the minimum wage for those under age 18 as of 01.04.2026
•No more than 40 working hours per week
•A 45-minute break after 6 hours of work
•Up to ₪22.60 per day for travel

Age Determines More Than Just the Wage Rate

Work before age 14 is prohibited. According to a clarification by the Ministry of Labor, teenagers aged 14 to 16 may work only during official school vacations, while those aged 16 and over may also work during the school year after classes have ended; an exception applies from age 15 to students in vocational programs under the Apprenticeship Law. The employer must keep a copy of the teenager’s or their parents’ identity card, as well as medical authorization from a family doctor or pediatrician. Some types of work require a report from an occupational health physician, and teenagers are also prohibited from performing hazardous work, including work in slaughterhouses and certain agricultural jobs.

Minimum Wage: Tips Do Not Eliminate the Duty to Make Up the Difference

As of April 1, 2026, the minimum hourly wage is ₪26.07 for workers under age 16, ₪27.94 for those under age 17, and ₪30.92 for those under age 18. For an apprentice learning a trade as part of approved practical training, the minimum wage is ₪22.35 per hour. In the month of a birthday, wages are calculated proportionally: the age-appropriate wage rates apply to the portions of the month before and after the birthday. An employer may count tips, but if they are insufficient to reach the age-based minimum wage, the employer must pay the difference. “Trial shifts,” training, preparation days, and work meetings must be paid from the first hour.

Eight Hours Is the Rule, Nine Hours Is the Exception

The usual limit for a teenager’s work is 8 hours per day and 40 hours per week. A worker aged 16 or older may work up to 9 hours per day at a workplace operating on a five-day workweek, but the weekly limit remains unchanged. After 6 hours of work, the worker is entitled to a break of at least 45 minutes, of which at least 30 minutes must be continuous; this time is generally unpaid if the supervisor does not require the worker to remain at the workplace. Employing teenagers for overtime is prohibited, but violating the prohibition does not exempt the employer from paying wages: the first two overtime hours are paid at 125%, and the next two hours at 150%. Work on the weekly rest day is also prohibited; if it occurs, the Ministry of Labor states that wages must be paid at 150%.

The Night Shift Ends Earlier Than the Supervisor Thinks

Teenagers under age 16 who are subject to compulsory education may not be employed between 20:00 and 08:00. For young workers aged 16 and over who are not subject to compulsory education, the prohibition applies between 22:00 and 08:00. During official school vacations, teenagers aged 16 to 18 may be employed until 24:00, provided the employer arranges their return home. If the shift ends after 23:00, the employer, personally or through a representative, must take the teenager home no later than half an hour after work ends. A request to “return independently” does not replace this obligation.

How to Prove Underpayment

The employer must record working hours accurately, but the Ministry of Labor separately recommends that the teenager keep a personal record of their shifts. Within 7 days of the start of employment, the teenager must be given a written notice or contract containing the parties’ details, a description of the work, and the employment terms. The payslip should be compared with personal records: hours, the age-based wage rate, training pay, travel reimbursement, and deductions; travel expenses are reimbursed in the necessary amount, up to ₪22.60 per workday. A teenager may not be fined or have money deducted for damage, such as broken dishes, unless such a deduction is expressly permitted by a collective agreement. When a violation occurs, a complaint may be filed with the Ministry of Labor, including anonymously, and a claim for payment may also be filed with the Regional Labor Court; its decision is enforced as a court judgment.

FAQ

Must a teenager be paid for a trial shift?

Yes. The Ministry of Labor expressly states that there is no such thing as an unpaid “trial shift” or internship: payment is required from the first hour, including training, preparation, and work meetings.

May a teenager be paid from tips only?

In principle, tips may be counted as part of the wage. But if their total for the hours worked is below the age-based minimum wage, the employer must make up the shortfall.

May a restaurant deduct the cost of a broken plate from wages?

An ordinary fine or deduction for damage is prohibited. An exception is allowed only when such a deduction is expressly permitted by a collective agreement.

What should be done if the hours on the payslip do not match the shifts?

Keep your own list of dates and hours, shift messages, the contract, payslips, and proof of payment. The violation may be reported to the Ministry of Labor, including through an anonymous complaint, and a claim to recover the money may also be filed with the Regional Labor Court.

May a teenager work on Saturday?

A teenager may not be employed on the weekly rest day. For a Jewish worker, this day is Saturday, while a worker of another religion chooses Friday, Saturday, or Sunday; the chosen day must remain fixed throughout the period of employment.

What to do next

Before the first shift, it is advisable to document the wage rate, schedule, and method for paying travel reimbursement, and after every shift, the actual start and end times should be recorded. If there is a discrepancy, first ask the employer for the accounting statement and missing documents, while retaining correspondence and proof of payment. A complaint to the Ministry of Labor and a financial claim before the Labor Court serve different functions, so the course of action should be chosen according to the nature of the violation.