19/04/2026
Around the chagim, I often get asked the same question:
👉 “Do I need to pay my cleaner if they didn’t come because of the holiday?”
The answer? It’s not always straightforward. Most households in Israel employ someone — a cleaner, nanny or caregiver — and the rules can be confusing.
💡 Let’s simplify it: If your cleaner comes on a fixed day each week (for example, every Tuesday) and a chag falls on that day, in many cases, you are still expected to pay them.
Why? Because from their perspective, they’ve “lost” a regular working day due to the chag.
✔️ If they’ve worked for you for at least 3 months
✔️ The chag falls on their regular working day
✔️ They didn’t choose to cancel
➡️ Then they are usually entitled to be paid, even if they didn’t come.
Now, what about a nanny or caregiver? 👶👵 If they are paid monthly, holiday pay is usually already included. If they are paid hourly or per day, similar rules apply. But here’s where it gets more nuanced:
🔎 Ask yourself:
• Was this a scheduled working day?
• Was cover arranged?
• Was the absence agreed in advance?
✨ The key question is NOT: “Did they work?”
👉 It’s: “Was this supposed to be a regular working day?”
These payments may seem small, but over a year, especially with multiple chagim, they add up 💸 More importantly, getting it right helps avoid awkward conversations with someone who works in your home.
⚠️ Tip: You cannot deduct a vacation day if it’s a chag without their permission.
If you’re unsure whether you’re handling this correctly, it’s worth checking.
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