In a precedent setting ruling, the National Labor Court has ruled in the case of Bar Ilan University employee Libi Weinberger, who was compelled to retire at the state defined retirement age of 67. The court ruled the employer must seriously weigh the merit of a request from an employee seeking to remain on the job despite reaching retirement age.

In the case filed by Weinberger, backed by NGOs working to protect the rights of senior citizens, they explained to the court the mandatory retirement is an infringement of the Basic Law guaranteeing one’s dignity, and it is therefore discriminatory. The court acknowledged there are possibly issues with the forced retirement, but preferred to leave such matters to the nation’s Supreme Court.

The court’s decision does state that if an employee who reached mandatory retirement age wishes to continue working, the employer must seriously weigh the employee’s request, including the unique characteristics of each request and since Bar Ilan failed to do so in this case, the university must pay Weinberger 50,000 NIS.

(YWN – Israel Desk, Jerusalem)