The Laborer’s Voice (Sawet el-Amel) organized mass demonstrations against the “Wisconsin Plan” since it began last year. They presented Eli Yishai, Minister of Industry and Labor, with facts and testimonies of families harmed. Moms in the plan have little education and professional skills. Most lacked work experience. And they have no child-care and transportation.

Most poor Israeli families are Arabs. And there is no demand for female Arab workers who barely speak Hebrew. The private companies implementing the Wisconsin Plan have failed to find real work for the parents forced into it. This is also similar to TANF.

             In October Yishai announced that 25% of the participants will no longer have to spend 30-40 hours working off their government grants. Instead they would have to spend 2 hours a week in “employment rehabilitation.” An independent committee of social workers, psychologists and doctors will decide if a parent should be exempt. Previously Wisconsin Plan employees evaluated parents.

The parents who will be exempt are:

• Single moms who work part time and have kids under 12

• Parents who have been unemployed over 5 years

• Parents who are at least 7 years from retirement age

• Parents with physical or mental disabilities. 

.

Immigrants like doctors or engineers are also released from the “Wisconsin Plan.” They are allowed time to get licenses to practice in Israel.

            The National Insurance Institute found that the “Wisconsin Plan” has saved the state $6 million in guaranteed-income payments. Most of these savings resulted from people who lost their income after being sanctioned. As in the US, very few sanctioned parents had found work.

            The private WP companies don’t profit unless they meet a certain quota of participants. Yishai said that the intake of more participants will depend on the implementation of the reform in the individual centers.