Adv. Shani Marom, a partner in our Labour Law Department, took part in the Dun’s 100 Legal Forum for senior legal professionals on the topic of employment during the “Iron Swords” war.

The forum, moderated by Gideon Oko from Channel 12, discussed issues faced by employers, including the implementation of the Released Soldiers Law. Adv. Marom noted that in dealing with the integration of reservists into the workplace—given the prolonged war—the law does not provide an adequate solution.

“The Released Soldiers Law, enacted in 1949, was intended, among other things, to prevent discrimination against reservists in the workplace. At the time of its enactment, such cases were relatively rare. However, since the outbreak of the ‘Iron Swords’ war on October 7, approximately 300,000 reservists have been called to active duty, and the existing legal mechanisms and the involvement of the Ministry of Defense’s Employment Committees in these processes are no longer suitable for the current situation. To put things in perspective, during the War of Independence, which led to the law’s enactment, about 28,000 soldiers participated. It is clear that today we are dealing with a completely different reality.”

Adv. Marom called for updating the law in accordance with the current reality, adding: “This is just one example of the many changes that should be made to the law, which was enacted in the 1950s. Instead of addressing this, lawmakers are attempting to pass various ‘bypass’ laws that are ill-suited to the situation and do not account for the vast number of reservists drafted since October 7. This is a legal and social issue that must be urgently addressed and should be a top priority for the legislature.”