Morad Workers Secure 12,000 NIS Bonus as Wait Times Drop to Four Months
The Histadrut, ministries, and Morad workers signed an agreement granting 12,000 NIS bonuses and better terms, successfully cutting medical driving test wait times from 18 to 4 months.
The Histadrut, the Ministry of Finance, the Ministry of Health, and the Workers' Committee of the Medical Institute for Road Safety (Morad) signed a new agreement on Thursday aimed at improving employment terms and compensation for staff. The deal is part of a broader initiative to enhance public service delivery and significantly reduce waiting times at the institute.
Bonuses and Improved Employment Terms
Under the terms of the agreement, every employee will be entitled to a 12,000 NIS incentive grant designed to help reduce backlogs, close pending files, and streamline operations. Alongside the financial bonus, the agreement introduces several structural changes to working conditions:
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Automatic and structured promotions based on newly agreed-upon pay grades.
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An increase in vehicle standard quotas to better meet employee operational needs.
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Expanded on-call quotas to formally recognize and compensate for overtime and after-hours work.
"The signing of this agreement is vital news for Morad employees and the entire public service. The institute's staff perform tasks that directly impact road safety, making their empowerment a top public interest," stated Histadrut Chairman Arnon Bar-David.
Slashing Wait Times and Enhancing Public Service
Morad operates as a specialized unit within the Ministry of Health, focusing on traffic medicine and preventing accidents caused by drivers' medical conditions. The institute evaluates driver fitness, processes medical referrals, schedules examinations, and issues professional recommendations to the licensing authority.
Over the past year, waiting times at Morad have plummeted from approximately 18 months down to about 4 months. Officials have set a target to further compress the waiting period to 3 months. Ministry of Health Senior VP of Human Resources, Shani Sharbit, attributed this success to intensive reorganization and streamlined workflows.
"Dropping wait times from 18 months to just 4 months is a massive transformation in public service delivery, driven by dedicated teamwork and process optimization," Sharbit noted. State Employees Union Chairman Ofir Alkalay and Health Ministry Workers Committee Chairman Michael Swissa also praised the joint efforts of management and staff in reaching this milestone.
