Not at our expense

This morning I woke up in a bad mood and decided to suspend myself from work for the coming month. I made the decision relatively easily. After reading the Yedioth Ahronoth report by my colleague, Gad Lior, I found out that the finance minister, who suspended himself because of the investigation against him, will continue to receive the salary of a minister, the perks of a minister, and is even being driven around like a minister.

However, he didn't need to work for this, neither as a minister nor in any other way. After all, he "suspended himself" from work, but not from receiving money from his place of work.

Yet Hirchson isn't alone. Our president too, who is "temporarily unable" to fill his post, continues to impose the same cost on the Treasury as if he was a full-time president (with the exception of some administrative services.) The same is true for Knesset members who were handed out court punishments that take up much of their time, but still continue to enjoy a full salary and full benefits from the Knesset. It is indeed possible that the prime minister will also be declaring that he is "temporarily suspended" during the expected long days of interrogation he may be facing.

After reading those reports, I told myself: Why shouldn't I follow the lead of these important figures? Why shouldn't I submit a statement to my employer, Yedioth Ahronoth, informing my manager that I suspend myself from work for a month, but that I expect to receive my full salary, benefits, and that my expenses will be covered throughout the suspension period?

Indeed, I did not commit any crime or sin and I was not tried by a court of law, but a one-month vacation at my employer's expense would certainly refresh my body and mind. Why can only the president, a minister, or a Knesset member "suspend themselves" while we, the simple workers, cannot?

A special paid vacation

In order to receive an answer for my questions and an objective advice before proceeding with my move, I turned to several leading CEOs in Israel in order to learn about the rights of a worker who decides to "suspend himself" or become "temporarily absent" from work. The CEOs were amused.

"This is the first time we heard such thing," they told me, "that is, that we should be paying a full salary to a worker who does not arrive at work for several months." If the employee wishes to devote his time to legal defense, or to clearing his name, or to serving the punishment handed down by the court, he can ask the employer for an unpaid vacation. Some employers will comply with this request in case of special humanitarian circumstances.

An unpaid vacation – but under no circumstances a "suspension" or "temporary absence," which mean a special paid vacation. "Have you lost it?" said one of the CEOs when he heard my question – "Should I be paying the salary of a worker after the police recommended indicting him? Why would I do that? What am I, an aid service for people under investigation?"

It's not that the entire business sector is wholly heartless: Quite a few employers would be willing to privately support a worker who they believe is innocent and is being prosecuted for no reason. Yet none of them would use company funds to that end. After all, the stockowners would slam them – and rightfully so.

In short, I realized I must put away my planned self-suspension letter. The wonderful option of a paid "temporary suspension" or "temporary absence" does not exist in a business organization. However, it does exist in the Israeli government. Here, a person can make use of loopholes in order to receive money without working. But actually, why is that? Why does the Israeli taxpayer have to finance the forced vacations of the president, finance minister, Knesset members, and possibly other officials? Our taxes can be used for more proper ends.

Please, dear officials under investigation, suspend yourself for as long as you want – but do so at your expense, not at ours.