Late Servicemen, Smokers, and Pregnant Women: Laws and Fines in Israel You Need to Know About

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Oct 11, 2018 | News | Other | Jerusalem & Area
Late Servicemen, Smokers, and Pregnant Women: Laws and Fines in Israel You Need to Know About

This article translated with permission from Poenta, a news site focusing on consumer affairs in Israel. 

Whether it is waiting for a technician at home or waiting on the phone for a service representative, in almost every situation there is a law that regulates consumer rights and fines for violators of the law

Recently, important consumer laws have been enacted or expanded, and not all consumers are aware of them. Here are laws you can use, from the expansion of the Technicians' Law to the obligation to place an anti-allergy medication in educational institutions.

Consumer laws already in force

The Expanded Technicians Law

The technicians' law was passed several years ago in order to stop technicians from disrespecting consumers' time, but we love inventing loopholes, and consumers continued to wait. why? Because lawmakers wrote in the language of the law "technician"s socompanies refused to compensate customers whenever their representative was not defined as a technician. Now, under the Expanded Technicians Act, companies can not avoid a fine on the grounds that the service person is not a technician. In addition, the consumer deserves compensation even in the event of late delivery or delay in a home gas technician.

What is the law? According to the Technicians Law, companies are required to coordinate a technician's visit with the consumer within a two-hour period, and in case of an additional delay of two hours or more, the consumer is entitled to compensation.

What is the amount of compensation? 300 to 600 shekels - depending on the duration of the delay.

For example, if the time of the visit is coordinated at 11:00, the legitimate wait time is 11: 00-13: 00, and the consumer is entitled to compensation of NIS 300 starting at 15:00. If three hours pass beyond the waiting period, that is, from 16:00 - the consumer is entitled to compensation of NIS 600. It is important to emphasize that the compensation should be automatic, that is, without proof of damage.


Service without a queue for a pregnant woman

According to the law, where a public service is provided by appointment, a pregnant woman is entitled to receive the service without waiting in line. This Law shall not apply to public services to which an appointment may be made in advance.

"Public service" is defined in a service law provided to the public or distributed by a public authority or in a public place face to face, other than medical treatment. The service provider will be entitled to require the woman to present a medical document for proof of pregnancy. 

People with disabilities and older citizens over the age of 80 will be given priority over pregnant women.

Extending the Smoking Law: Where will you receive NIS 1,000?

The expansion of the Smoking Law further reduces the places where smoking is permitted.

It is now forbidden to smoke in places where outdoor events and performances are held, attended by more than 50 people, in hospitals or clinics (outside the building), public authorities, government offices, courts, religious councils, Open, like a basketball court and fitness facilities), swimming pools, playgrounds, playgrounds, indoor or underground public parks and zoos.

The amount of the fine: Inspectors on behalf of the local authorities, hospital stewards and the police are authorized to issue reports of NIS 1,000 to those who violate the law and not less than NIS 5,000 to a public place holder.

Food allergies in educational institutions

If you have children with a life-threatening allergy, it is important that you recognize this law and make sure it is implemented.

A new law requires educational institutions to hold an epipen- a syringe against allergy. This is an epinephrine - an automatic syringe that contains epinephrine and is used for emergency treatment during an allergic reaction.

As stated, this is a lifesaving syringe. According to the law, initiated by MK Yehuda Glick (the Likud), who himself suffers from peanut allergies, day care centers, paratroopers, kindergartens and schools will be required to place these syringes in their territory. The syringes can be purchased without a prescription, and the institutions can replace them before they expire. The Ministry of Health will ensure that the Apiepan plant is placed in the educational institution, and without it a license will not be issued to open the institution.


Laws that will take effect in the coming months

A professional human response within six minutes

We all know the three-minute law, which requires some Israeli companies to provide a response at the call center within 3 minutes - or to reach a customer who will contact him later. Of course, like other laws, this law did not solve the problem of customers waiting on hold - and so the law came into the 6-minute world.

This law requires most companies in the economy to provide a human response within 6 minutes.

According to the law, companies that provide telephone service, including automatic call routing system, will provide a professional human response to consumers within six minutes of the beginning of the call with at least three types of services: malfunction handling, account inquiry and termination. The consumer will not be directed to the service leaving messages unless he chooses to do so.

The amendment will apply to companies engaged in fixed-line telephone services, mobile phones, cable television, satellite television, gas, electricity, water, internet, and entities that deal with their ongoing medical services transactions, banks, insurance companies and provident funds.


Public bodies will be required to publish e-mail contact information

The law is intended to prevent all kinds of bodies from making it difficult for consumers by charging them to send faxes to make contact. This is based on the understanding that most consumers now find it easier to contact the email.

According to the law, public bodies that provide public service must publish in their official publications and on their website the main types of services provided in them, their geographic distribution and the manner of contacting them. In the ways of communication, the digital means of communication that can be addressed to the body through it will be published, in addition to faxing.

The public bodies to which the law applies are government ministries, public hospitals, health funds, the State Comptroller's Office, courts and tribunals, the Israel Police, municipalities and local and regional councils, Israel Post, government companies and other bodies.

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