Client updates

The AI revolution in the Israeli capital market: The Israel Securities Authority allows financial institutions to use chatbots on their financial analyses platforms, but imposes clear rules and important restrictions on their use.

The Freeze and Reduction of Convalescence Pay Law was approved in 2025.  As in 2024, employers will be obligated to reduce the convalescence pay payable to their employees and to transfer the reduced sums to the tax assessor, accordingly. The purpose of this law is to redirect these sums for the provision of benefits to reservists.

A recent ruling by the National Labor Court establishes that placing cameras near an employee’s workstation does not necessarily constitute a substantial deterioration in working conditions.

The Israel Competition Authority (ICA) announced that as of March 31, 2025, it will begin publishing on its website a list of pending merger transactions and exemption applications for restrictive trade arrangements that are under its review.

The account-settling must include wage components based on seniority, actual work (like overtime or rest-day work), and qualifying events.

A new extension order signed in March 2025 applies to employees in the construction, infrastructure, heavy equipment, public works, civil engineering and renovation sectors and came into effect on April 1.

The Ministry of Health published a new outline recently, which is designed to shorten the registration timeframes for new drugs. The outline is based on higher cooperation between the Ministry of Health and leading drug registration authorities around the world, while relying on approvals issued in other countries.

One of the destinations that is generating growing interest is Anjouan – a relatively small jurisdiction that is known to offer a flexible licensing solution, especially against the backdrop of the changes in Curaçao which, up until recently, was an attractive jurisdiction for companies in the gaming industry.

The minimum wage in Israel is rising by 6.25% to ILS 6,247.67 per month as of April 1, 2025 (compared to ILS 5,880 last year). The update comes into effect on April 1, 2025.

Employers may require a medical exam only in cases of suspected sick leave misuse, such as working elsewhere or following a hearing summons.

On April 2, 2025, the President of the United States signed an Executive Order announcing the imposition of very extensive customs tariffs on products being imported into the United States. Following is a quick analysis of the implications of the order on Israeli manufacturers in various sectors of the economy.

A new extension order for the institutional catering sector took effect on April 1, 2025, applying the 2022 collective agreement to all employers and employees in the industry. The order improves conditions for one of the most underpaid and overworked groups in the labor market.

The District Court in Israel recently ruled that it has jurisdiction to adjudicate a class action filed against OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT.

In February 2025, the Israeli Tax Authority published an Income Tax Circular outlining the conditions and principles of the new Angels Law, focusing on the tax benefits granted to investors in early-stage companies that qualify as R&D companies.

Recently, a US District Court in Illinois has granted final approval to a settlement in the Clearview AI consumer privacy litigation, concerning the company’s controversial practices of collecting and storing biometric facial recognition data. This should serve as a reminder that US state privacy laws are as relevant as ever and that their violation may lead to significant penalties.

The Families of Fallen Soldiers Law was amended recently, which prohibits employers in Israel from dismissing any employee who is a member of a fallen soldier’s family (“bereaved employee”), from docking his/her wages, from reducing his/her appointment percentage and from sending him/her home on unpaid leave during the year of mourning.

As of 2025, an additional 2% surtax will be imposed specifically on taxable capital income (income from dividends, interest, capital gains from real estate sales and other capital sources) exceeding the maximum of ILS 721,560. This means that taxable capital income exceeding the maximum will now be subject to an inclusive surtax of 5%.

On March 9, 2025, the Real Estate Brokers Regulations (Ethics and Professional Duties) of 2024 came into effect which, for the first time, impose rules of ethics and binding professional obligations on all real estate brokers in Israel and regulate key aspects of real estate brokers’ work.

Last week, the Bank of Israel published a preliminary design of the central bank’s Digital Shekel system. In a detailed document, holding more than 100 pages, the Bank of Israel presents guiding principles and a work plan for further advancing this ambitious project.

At the end of 2024, the Knesset enacted significant legislative updates within the framework of the Arrangements Law that completely revamp how “closely held companies” are taxed in Israel.