As thousands of yeshiva students face uncertainty over their military status, Israel's Employment Service has clarified that Chareidim who have not resolved their draft status cannot be denied employment solely because of their military standing. The clarification addresses questions about whether such individuals may work at polling stations during the upcoming Knesset elections.
Following an inquiry about the employment of young Chareidi men who have not regularized their status with military authorities, the Employment Service said it does not examine the military status of job seekers. It stressed, however, that eligibility requirements for election-related positions are determined exclusively by the Central Elections Committee.
The Employment Service stated: "The Employment Service is obligated to operate in accordance with the principle prohibiting discrimination (Section 42 of the Employment Service Law) and to refer job seekers regardless of their military status, and there is an absolute prohibition against requesting or making use of a military profile."
The agency noted that employees of the Central Elections Committee are subject to separate legal eligibility requirements, including prohibitions relating to political affiliation or certain criminal convictions, which the Employment Service is not authorized to intervene in.
The Central Elections Committee separately addressed the question, saying: "The Central Elections Committee attaches great importance to the participation of the entire population in the election operation, whether as polling committee secretaries and election integrity supervisors, committee members, or observers, all subject to the provisions of the law."
The committee explained that eligibility requirements for these positions are established by law, and that "the polling station is neutral territory, and considerations unrelated to the proper conduct of the elections should not be introduced into it."
This followed an earlier announcement of a broad partnership between the two agencies to recruit thousands of workers for election-related positions including polling station attendants, logistics personnel, and administrative staff. The clarification also came after the Central Elections Committee decided that no enforcement operations targeting draft evaders will be conducted on Election Day.