STAND. COM. REP. NO.2465
Honolulu, Hawaii
, 2002
RE: S.B. No. 2037
S.D. 1
Honorable Robert Bunda
President of the Senate
Twenty-First State Legislature
Regular Session of 2002
State of Hawaii
Sir:
Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred S.B. No. 2037, S.D. 1, entitled:
"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO EMPLOYMENT PRACTICES,"
begs leave to report as follows:
The purpose of this measure is to strengthen the protection provided by Hawaii's Whistleblowers' Protection Act.
Your Committee finds that the measure strengthens the Whistleblowers' Protection Act by:
(1) Providing protection to employees who report or are about to report to government entities or their employers violations of law, or who report or are about to report information demonstrating danger to the public health, safety, and welfare;
(2) Increasing the duration of the statute of limitations for filing a claim under the Whistleblowers' Protection Act from ninety days to two years;
(3) Stating that the statute of limitations does not begin to toll until an aggrieved employee who is mentally or physically incapacitated is able to return to work; and
(4) Increasing the penalties for violations from $500 to $5,000 per violation.
Your Committee believes that the measure not only provides aggrieved employees with better protection under the law, but also serves as a stronger deterrent against unscrupulous employers who would otherwise take advantage of the trust of their employees.
As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Judiciary that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of S.B. No. 2037, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.
Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,
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____________________________ BRIAN KANNO, Chair |
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