STAND. COM. REP. NO. 3735

Honolulu, Hawaii

RE: H.B. No. 1642

H.D. 1

S.D. 1

Honorable Ronald D. Kouchi

President of the Senate

Thirty-Second State Legislature

Regular Session of 2024

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Judiciary, to which was referred H.B. No. 1642, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO GENERAL EMPLOYEE ORIENTATION,"

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose and intent of this measure is to allow an employee or the exclusive representative, if applicable, to file a complaint with the Hawaii Labor Relations Board if the employer fails to comply with section 78-64, Hawaii Revised Statutes, relating to general employee orientation.

Your Committee received testimony in support of this measure from the Hawaii Government Employees Association, AFSCME Local 152, AFL-CIO and United Public Workers, AFSCME Local 646, AFL-CIO.

Your Committee finds that some employers fail to comply with existing law that requires an employer to provide newly hired employees with a general orientation on their benefits and rights within twenty calendar days of being hired. As a result, the exclusive representative who represents the employees is often left to identify a new employee's worksite and inquire about their work schedule in order to provide them with information about their rights as a public employee. Your Committee further finds that there is no penalty if an employer does not meet this requirement. This measure will ensure that newly hired employees are not denied important employment information and that employers are held accountable to existing statutory requirements.

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 H.B. No. 1642, H.D. 1, S.D. 1, and recommends that it pass Third Reading.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committee on Judiciary,

________________________________

KARL RHOADS, Chair