Honorable Robert Bunda

President of the Senate

Twenty-Third State Legislature

Regular Session of 2005

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Labor, to which was referred S.C.R. No. 5 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to urge public and private sector employers to consider the implementation of flexible benefit plans and other family-friendly policies for their employees.

Testimony in support of this measure was submitted by the Department of Human Resources Development.

Your Committee finds that in society today, employees face multiple challenges in balancing work and family issues. Employers must adjust their workplace policies to accommodate the needs of their employees in order to maintain a productive and efficient workforce. Family-friendly workplace policies are employment-oriented social policies that facilitate the reconciliation of work and family life by fostering adequacy of family resources and child care development, favoring the parental choice about work and care, and promoting gender equality in employment opportunities.

Your Committee further finds that the utilization of family-friendly policies and flexible benefit plans help to increase employee morale and productivity and to reduce absenteeism and high turnover rates. Therefore, your Committee believes that the Legislature should urge employers in both the public and private sector to explore and implement flexible benefit plans and family-friendly policies to help to improve the lives of their employees.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Labor that is attached to this report, your Committee concurs with the intent and purpose of S.C.R. No. 5 and recommends that it be referred to the Committee on Ways and Means.