Beranda Perang Hawaii Family Leave Law expanded to include military exigencies

Hawaii Family Leave Law expanded to include military exigencies

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Beginning next month, individuals who need to take time off work to attend to a serious issue related to a family member's active-duty military service will be able to take family leave from their employment. 

What You Need To Know

  • Gov. Josh Green signed off on the expansion of the Hawaii Family Leave Law last month, making it possible for eligible employees to take family leave for a qualifying military exigency involving an employee's child, spouse, reciprocal beneficiary, sibling, grandchild, or parent serving in the United States Armed Forces
  • The new law effectively aligns state law with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which acknowledges such exigencies
  • The Family Leave Law provides employees who work for employers with 100 or more employees up to four weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during any calendar year
  • To exercise the newly expanded right, eligible individuals must provide “reasonable and practicable†notice to their employer and, if required by the employer, documentation via official military orders

 

Gov. Josh Green signed off on the expansion of the Hawaii Family Leave Law last month, making it possible for eligible employees to take family leave for a qualifying military exigency involving an employee's child, spouse, reciprocal beneficiary, sibling, grandchild, or parent serving in the United States Armed Forces.

“The expansion of Hawaii's family leave law ensures that workers can respond to urgent situations related to active‑duty military service without jeopardizing their employment,†said state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations director Jade Butay. “This amendment recognizes the unique challenges faced by families of service members and reinforces Hawaii's commitment to supporting military families.â€

As noted in Senate Bill 3082, now Act 13, “military families face unique challenges stemming from the demands of military life, including frequent relocations, short-notice deployments, and other service-related obligations. These disruptions often result in financial stress, food insecurity, and urgent needs for time off from work to manage essential responsibilities such as arranging childcare, attending military briefings, securing legal and financial services, and ensuring continuity of care for dependents.â€Â 

The new law effectively aligns state law with the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, which acknowledges such exigencies.

The Family Leave Law provides employees who work for employers with 100 or more employees up to four weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave during any calendar year.

To exercise the newly expanded right, eligible individuals must provide “reasonable and practicable†notice to their employer and, if required by the employer, documentation via official military orders.

Michael Tsai covers local and state politics for Spectrum News Hawaii. He can be reached at michael.tsai@charter.com.

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