Most employees spend a significant portion of their day either in the workplace, going to work, or going home from work. About two decades ago, the Ministry of Health and the government realized a healthier workplace is needed. We have to remove some organizational and regulatory obstacles to make these initiatives more worthwhile for employers.

In 2005, the Ministry of Health launched an initiative titled "For a Healthy Future 2020" that has drawn a master plan for promoting health and preventing morbidity and included health objectives and evidence-based plans for achieving these objectives. In order to realize this plan and to reduce morbidity and mortality rates linked with obesity, cardiovascular diseases, cancer, and diabetes in Israel, in November 2011, the government resolved to create a national program for promoting an active and healthy lifestyle. In article 2 B of the resolution, it was stated that actions need to be taken for "drawing plans for encouraging physical activity and healthy nutrition in the health system, the education system, the local authorities and in the workplace, through education for health and for physical activity, regulatory reforms, development of financial incentives for promoting this subject and the creation of a suitable environmental infrastructure." The resolution named a series of measures to be taken by the various government ministries, including regulatory changes, in order to promote improved nutrition, raise awareness of the importance of physical activity, and prevent smoking.
Full Text of the Resolution in the Website of the Prime Minister's Office (in Hebrew)

As part of the government resolution, the National Program for Active and Healthy Living – Esharibari was established. The program is a national structure with social and economic aspects. The purpose is forming an environment that will create a culture of health in the State of Israel. This program operates under the leadership of the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Education, and the Ministry of Culture and Sports.
For Further Information: "Efsahribari – The Partners"

Physical activity

Easier process for employees who want to train in the gym

Many workplaces offer their employees discounted or subsidized membership for the gym or sports center (either within the workplace or as part of the added perks). Until recently, employees who wanted to train in the gym had to go to their general practitioner for a doctor's certificate. This requirement served as an administrative obstacle to those wishing to engage in physical activity in gyms.

In order to handle this situation, which adversely affected citizens in general and employees who were interested in training at the gym in their workplace, the Ministry of Health and the Ministry of Culture and Sports have taken actions to amend the Gyms Law, abolishing the requirement to present a doctor's certificate upon signing up and installing in its place a personal health declaration. In case that the person signing up reports a medical problem which may put him or her at risk while engaging in physical activity, he or she must also present a doctor's certificate that fitness training at the gym does not pose a danger to his or her health. A minor must also present a parental consent form.
The Amendment to the Law, the Questionnaire, and the Health Declaration Form (in Hebrew)

Encouraging physical activity during work hours for civil servants

In order to promote employees' health and well-being through the engagement in physical activity, the Civil Service Commission has decided to extend the mandatory at-work physical activity time from one hour a week to an hour and a half a week. Furthermore, it was determined that it is possible to divide the weekly physical activity requirements to two sessions of 45 minutes each and that it is possible to complete it either late or early in the workday, but not before the workday or after the workday. The File "Encouraging Physical Activity during Work Hours for Civil Servants" on the Website of the Civil Service Commission (in Hebrew)

Nutrition

Healthy refreshments in meetings and conferences

In February 2019, the Civil Service Commission resolved to guide the ministries and auxiliary units to work for upholding the principles of healthy nutrition. This guidance included rules for the mix of food and drinks served in meetings, conferences, and seminars organized by them or in their premises, as well as in cases of employee gift baskets that contain food.

In June 2021, after returning to routine after the coronavirus crisis, and in light of the new dietary guidelines, the Commission issued an updated document, stating that in the first stage, ministries may add refreshments that are recommedned according to the new nutritional rainbow to those that have been customary, except some sweetened drinks that may not be used. It is recommended to remove or reduce harmful foods. Then, the goal is to remove all harmful foods and only offer employees healthy food in the workplace. The recommended mix of refreshments will be in accordance with the principles of healthy nutrition, the nutritional rainbow. It is assumed that when healthy alternatives are offered in the workplace, an environment that promotes healthy eating is created. "Healthy Refreshments" help employees maintain their health.Healthy Refreshments in Meetings and Conferences – on the Website of the Civil Service Commission (in Hebrew)

Recognition of fruit and vegetables served as refreshments at work as tax-recognized expense

In 2018 the Tax Authority determined that fruits and vegetables as refreshments in the workplace are included as a tax-recognized expense for income tax purposes. Thereby the State encourages the consumption of healthy food in the workplace, as opposed to the previous situation where employers and the self-employed were "punished" for serving healthy refreshments (mainly fruits and vegetables) by being unable to file their costs as a tax-recognized expense, unlike employers who served cakes and baked goods and the like as refreshments.
Definitions of Light Refreshments in the Income Tax Regulations (in Hebrew)

Smoking reduction and prevention

In May 2011, the government resolved to implement a National Program for Preventing Smoking and Smoking-related Damages. Subsequently, existing laws were modified, additional laws were passed, and additional regulations and decrees resulting from said laws were issued.

Law for the Prevention of Smoking in Public Places and Exposure to Smoking (1983 and decrees and additions from recent years)
The Law specifies the ban on smoking and the requirements of business owners. In addition to the Law, the various locations for which it applies are specified, as well as the exact restrictions for each location. In the decree from 5772 (2012), a reference to smoking in the workplace was added (any place where people work and do not serve for residence), except in a specially designated room, if one was thus allocated, and provide that it is completely separated, is adequately ventilated and does not disturb other employees. In the decree from 5779 (2018), it was determined that in hospitals and clinics, smoking is banned within a range of 10 meters from any entrance or exit. 
Law for the Restriction of Smoking in Public Places (in Hebrew)

The law specifies:

Regulations for the Restriction of Smoking in Public Places (1984, Amendment from 2003)
These regulations refer to the requirement to place "No Smoking" signs, including specifications for the location of the sign, its size, and design, the number of signs placed, etc. At the end of said regulations, there is a reference to workplaces where "No Smoking" signs should be placed at every entrance. These signs should measure 30X20 cm in a workplace whose surface area measures up to 80 square meters and 60X50 cm in a workplace whose surface area measures over 80 square meters. Regulations for the Restriction of Smoking in Public Places - full dossier (in Hebrew)

Law for the Restriction of Advertisement and Sale of Tobacco Products (2019)
This Law includes an extensive Amendment to the Law Restricting the Advertisement and Sale of Tobacco Products from 1983, in order to minimize public exposure to tobacco products, especially among teens and youth. Among other things, a blanket ban was imposed on the advertisement, marketing, and sales-promotion of tobacco products and electronic cigarettes, except in the printed press; In permitted advertisements, the space occupied by the required warning against smoking was increased; A blanket ban on the public display of tobacco products (including in workplace cantinas); Standardization of packages (they must all be brown); Applying the restrictions on tobacco products to electronic cigarettes, as well the obligation of manufacturers and importers to disclose the contents of the smoking products and the risks from using their products.
Law for the Restriction of Advertisement and Sale of Tobacco Products (in Hebrew)

What's in store for the future? The Ministry of Health is working to limit employees' multiple smoke breaks, which are detrimental both to work productivity and to the employees themselves and those around them.

Preventive medicine guidelines

The practice of running screening tests on employees has been gaining traction over the last few years. Managers are offered various packages of screening tests, and they are supposed to decide whether to purchase them for company employees or not. However, many of the offered tests lack any scientific support. Therefore, the Ministry of Health resolved to issue scientific recommendations in order to assist managers and their employees in choosing only the tests and measures that could promote their health. These guidelines are based on the recommendations of the Israeli Task-Force for the Promotion of Health and Preventive Medicine, the updates from the recent publications by the American Task-Force for Clinical Prevention (USPSTF), the guidelines of the Canadian Task-Force for Clinical Prevention (CTFPHC), the Institute for Clinical Systems Improvement (ICSI) in the United States, the Ministry of Health's up-to-date vaccination briefing and updates from the scientific literature. Adjustments were made based on expert opinion in each relevant field.

These guidelines are intended for the entire working population, for managers and employees alike. They clarify how to maintain and improve health by adopting recommended healthy behaviors, by running screening tests and by consultation from professionals in the recommended dates and frequencies, as well as which vaccinations and preventive medications are in order and when to take them. It is recommended that directors of human resources and social affairs will ensure that screening facilities in hospitals or private facilities do indeed offer the recommended tests and that employees are aware that no other screening tests offered to them is recommended and may even expose them to risks.

The guide is divided into two sections:

The Guide for Employees Aged 20-39 (in Hebrew)
The Guide for Employees Aged 40-64 (in Hebrew)
It is recommended that each employee submit his or her test results to his or her primary care physician in the HMO in order to ensure that the recommendations for prevention, diagnosis, and treatment provided by the screening tests are indeed implemented.

For further information

Additional Articles about Efsharibari in the Workplace
Guide to Efasharibari at Work (in Hebrew)