Q&A: A Halakhic Question Regarding Unemployment Benefits
A Halakhic Question Regarding Unemployment Benefits
Question
Hello Rabbi Michael,
In the coming days I am expected to be discharged from permanent army service, and I wanted to take a bit of time off (at least a few months) before I start looking for work, in order to study Torah a bit. My question is whether during that time I would be allowed to receive unemployment benefits from the National Insurance Institute (both from a halakhic and a moral standpoint). It is also possible that I will need to sign a declaration stating that I will make an effort to look for and find work.
Best regards,
Answer
You certainly may not sign if you do not actually intend to look for work. And taking the benefits also seems problematic to me. If you can genuinely look for work and, until you find something, sit and study, then of course there is no problem.