The Knesset on Wednesday unanimously approved a new law requiring employers to supply chairs for cashiers, salespeople, office workers and customer service employees.

The bill, entitled "the right to work while seated,' was introduced by MKs Shelly Yachimovich (Labor), Marina Solodkin (Kadima), Gideon Sa'ar (Likud) and Zevulun Orlev (National Religious Party ? National Union).

According to the law, employers are required to supply chairs for their workers unless they are able to prove that "the regular implementation of the job does not allow sitting." Employers must allow supply chairs with back rests to be used during breaks.

	Advertisement

Employers who breach this law will be fined NIS 20,000 if the employee is unable to prove that the lack of a chair caused him damage, and NIS 200,000 if the employee is able to prove he suffered damages.

Employees or representative unions will be given the right to sue the employers. The legislation was jointly worded by employers' unions, the Histadrut Labor Federation, the Justice Ministry and the Ministry of Industry, Trade and Labor.

"It is a shame that we have had to legislate the basic right of the working person, but it seems that many networks have not internalized the idea that forcing women during a hard day to stand all day long is unnecessary, difficult and drestructive," said Yachimovich.

The bill was introduced following an incident that occurred three years ago, when the management of the pharmacy chain Superpharm refused to allow their cashiers to sit down.