Handbook requirements › Hawaii

Employee handbook requirements in Hawaii (2026)

A compliant Hawaii employee handbook layers Hawaii-specific policies on top of the federal baseline. Below are the 3 Hawaii-specific requirements in our library, plus the federal baseline that also applies.

Standard state 3 Hawaii-specific items 110 federal baseline items

Hawaii-specific handbook requirements

Policies driven by Hawaii state law that a handbook should address.

Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) — Employer-Mandated Wage Replacement Benefits

Hawaii TDI (enacted 1969) requires most employers to provide partial wage replacement insurance for non-work-related injury or illness, including pregnancy. Employer must provide coverage via private carrier, self-insurance, or state fund. Benefits: 58% of average weekly wages (cap ~$871/week in 2026); 8-day waiting period; up to 26 weeks. Employee eligibility: 14 weeks HI employment at 20+ hrs/week with $400+ earned in prior 52 weeks.

Authority: HI Rev. Stat. §§ 392-1 et seq. (Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance / TDI, eff. 1969); HI DLIR; mandatory for employers 1+ employees

Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act (HPHCA) — Only State Employer Health Insurance Mandate Benefits

Hawaii is the ONLY US state requiring employers to provide health insurance to eligible employees — predating the ACA by 35 years. Enacted 1974 and uniquely exempt from ERISA preemption. Employer must provide approved health insurance for employees working 20+ hours/week for 4+ consecutive weeks. Employer pays at least 50% of single coverage premium. Employee's share cannot exceed 1.5% of wages.

Authority: HI Rev. Stat. §§ 393-1 et seq. (Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act / HPHCA, eff. 1974); HI DLIR; only state with mandatory health insurance for employees working 20+ hrs/wk

Hawaii Family Leave Law (HFLL) — 4 Weeks Unpaid FMLA / Family Leave

Hawaii Family Leave Law (Chapter 398 HRS): applies to employers with 100+ employees. Up to 4 weeks unpaid job-protected family leave per calendar year for birth, adoption, foster placement, or serious illness of covered family member. Runs concurrent with FMLA for FMLA-eligible employees. No state PFML enacted as of early 2026.

Authority: HI Rev. Stat. §§ 398-1 et seq. (Hawaii Family Leave Law / HFLL, eff. Jan 1, 1992); HI DLIR; 100+ employees; 4 weeks unpaid family/medical leave

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Federal requirements that also apply in Hawaii

110 federal baseline policies span these areas — every Pacta handbook includes them.

Assignment / Placement Agreement · 10 DOT / FMCSA Compliance · 10 Arbitration Agreement · 8 Code of Conduct · 6 Benefits · 5 Confidentiality · 5 Offer Letter · 5 Employee Classification · 4 Pay / Payroll · 4 Safety / Workers' Comp · 4 Separation / Final Pay · 4 Introduction / At-Will · 3 Timekeeping · 3 Accommodation (Disability) · 2 Assignment Lifecycle · 2 Drug-Free / Alcohol · 2 EEO / Protected Classes · 2 Expense Reimbursement · 2 Harassment · 2 Hiring / Onboarding · 2 Remote Work · 2 Social Media / Recording · 2 Three-Party Relationship · 2 AI Tools · 1 Arbitration · 1 Bereavement · 1 Driving / Vehicles · 1 Emergency Procedures · 1 Employee Records · 1 FMLA / Family Leave · 1 Gifts / Anti-Bribery · 1 Jury Duty Leave · 1 Lactation / Nursing Mothers · 1 Meal / Rest Breaks · 1 Military Leave · 1 Overtime · 1 Paid Sick Leave · 1 Pay Transparency · 1 Pay Transparency Notice · 1 Pregnancy / Parental Leave · 1 Salary Basis / Safe Harbor · 1 Voting Leave · 1

Hawaii handbook FAQ

Does Hawaii require employers to have an employee handbook?

No U.S. state requires an employee handbook outright. But Hawaii requires that a number of employment policies be provided to employees in writing, and a handbook is the standard, defensible way to do that. This page is informational only and is not legal advice.

What does a Hawaii employee handbook need to include?

A compliant handbook layers Hawaii-specific policies on top of the federal baseline (equal-opportunity, at-will, leave, anti-harassment, pay practices and more). The Hawaii-specific items are listed on this page; the exact set depends on your headcount, industry, and the localities you operate in.

How do I create a compliant Hawaii handbook?

Pacta's handbook generator builds a federal base plus a Hawaii state addendum tailored to your company, then returns a formatted draft you can edit. Every draft must be reviewed by qualified employment counsel before you distribute it to employees.

Handbook requirements in other states

This page is general information about Hawaii employment-policy requirements, not legal advice, and may not reflect the most current law. AI-generated handbooks must be reviewed and approved by qualified employment counsel licensed in the applicable jurisdiction(s) before distribution to employees.