The Employment & Employee Compensation and Benefits Group focuses on employment issues associated with technology companies, particularly issues arising from personal employment agreements (as opposed to the union based-agreements typical in Israel’s more traditional industries), including senior employment agreements, non-competition and confidentiality covenants, and termination and separation agreements.  The broad knowledge and expertise we have from advising on, drafting and interpreting these agreements has also given us considerable understanding of the subtle but important issues that straddle the areas of Employment Law and Intellectual Property Law.  Our Group’s multi-jurisdictional practice enables us  to  provide ongoing support for the Israeli operations of multinational companies as well as leading Israeli high tech companies. On behalf of our clients, we place a strong emphasis on bridging the sometimes difficult gaps between employment practices in Israel and those in other countries. In this area, our work includes any labor dispute, negotiation, arbitration or litigation.

Labor Law & Labor Relations

The Employment & Employee Compensation and Benefits Group has expertise in all aspects of labor law and labor relations, including individual and collective law, providing legal opinions on various subjects in labor law, and offering ongoing daily counsel.

Perhaps our most important and fulfilling work is the day-to-day support that we provide to our Israeli and multinational clients in structuring their Israeli employment relations, building their regulatory compliance systems, and answering the myriad questions raised by local HR managers and individual employees, including: establishing and maintaining company policies regarding engagement with employees and subcontractors and temporary job agencies (e.g. Manpower); creating and maintaining company regulations related to employment; counseling on issues related to the hiring and dismissal of employees; setting-up and maintaining policies and documentation to protect a client’s intellectual property rights with regard to employees or service providers; providing services concerning work permits in Israel; and advising on work relationships (e.g., sexual harassment, pregnancy policies, overtime, and sick leave). The personal attention, prompt responsiveness and active listening provided by our lawyers have been and will continue to be the mainstay of our practice.

Our Employment & Employee Compensation and Benefits Group has special experience establishing and providing legal support for mergers and acquisition of companies in Israel, as well as due diligence related to employment arrangements preceding mergers and acquisitions, and advising on the transition of employees and their benefits within the framework of such transactions. Of particular importance and value to our clients is PCZL’s expertise negotiating the sometimes complex Israeli labor law scheme, which has not in all respects kept pace with modern international M&A practices.  In response, our Group has developed a series of procedures and strategies for smoothing the transition of an Israeli acquisition that limits the cost, exposure and complexity of a foreign takeover of an Israeli company or disposition of an Israeli subsidiary.

Equity Compensation

The Employment Group is geared to help companies at all stages of growth with the important but often difficult design, implementation and administration of equity compensation schemes.  We have particular expertise in the implementation and administration in Israel of multinational corporate benefit plans, such as stock option plans, stock purchase plans, phantom benefit plans and other equity based compensation, bonus plans, and commission plans. We offer clients the exceptional breath and depth of our experience in tax, labor, securities and corporate law—all of which are vital to the successful implementation of any such plan in Israel. Our attorneys have extensive experience in structuring creative and competitive plans according to the special needs of our clients, taking into account tax, securities and employment considerations for both the company and its employees or service providers.  We also handle all negotiations with local authorities, including the Israeli Tax Authorities and the Israeli Securities Authority, and obtain all required approvals for equity plans in order to comply with local regulations.

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