Report Title:

DOE Personnel; New Hires; Timely Paychecks

Description:

Requires the DOE to pay all new hires within two pay periods. Provides that if DOE fails to timely pay new hires, the DOE may pay partial wages.

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

15

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2003

 

STATE OF HAWAII

 


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the department of education.

 

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

SECTION 1. The legislature finds it unacceptable that it takes the department of education six to eight weeks to provide new employees and interdepartmental transfers with their first paycheck. The legislature further finds that the bottom line is that the private sector by and large pays its employees in a very timely manner and the public sector should not be allowed to aim for a lower standard, especially when the technological and procedural capabilities to mitigate this problem are so clearly present and so easily applicable. Employees deserve to be paid for the work they do, especially new teachers, who have so much to adapt to and prepare for without having to deal with the added stress of tardy paychecks.

The purpose of this Act is to ensure that new hires of the department of education are paid timely and in accurate amounts and to allow payments of partial wages to mitigate the financial hardships created by delayed paychecks.

SECTION 2. Chapter 302A, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:

"§302A-    Newly hired employees; paycheck deficits; partial wages. (a) The department shall establish and implement appropriate policies, procedures, technology, and accountability measures to ensure newly hired employees receive wages timely and in accurate amounts.

(b) All newly hired employees shall receive their first paycheck no later than the second pay period after the date of their hire by the department.

(c) If the department is unable to pay the total wages due a newly hired employee pursuant to subsection (b), the department may pay the newly hired employee on the day the newly hired employee would have received pay, partial wages in an amount not less than fifty per cent of the amount due for the second pay period and for each consecutive pay period thereafter in which the department maintains a paycheck deficit with the newly hired employee. The amounts received shall be deducted from the total wages due for the respective pay period. Once the department resolves the paycheck deficit, the newly hired employee shall no longer receive partial wages as provided by this subsection."

SECTION 3. By December 31, 2003, the department shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 necessary to administer this section.

SECTION 4. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

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