Report Title:

EUTF; part-time, temporary, seasonal, casual employees

 

Description:

Expands the eligibility for health insurance benefits of part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employees of the State; provided that the employee works at least twenty hours per week for at least four consecutive weeks. (SB762 HD2)

 

THE SENATE

S.B. NO.

762

TWENTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2004

S.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

H.D. 2


 

A BILL FOR AN ACT

 

relating to the employer-union health benefits trust fund.

 

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

SECTION 1. The legislature finds that about sixteen per cent of Hawaii's workforce are state and local government workers. The legislature further finds that state and county governments are exempt from the Prepaid Health Care Act, chapter 393, Hawaii Revised Statutes. As such, state and county governments contribute less to their employee's health insurance coverage than private employers and do not insure certain classes of workers.

However, in recent years, government has improved its practices. State government eliminated "emergency hire" workers, a practice that did not provide health insurance coverage for these employees. In addition, the "89-day appointment" was also limited to two consecutive appointments.

Despite these improvements, much more can be done to reduce the number of uninsured workers employed by the government. A recent report from the department of human resources development identified nine hundred forty-two "89-day" state employees as of November 5, 2003.

The purpose of this Act is to expand eligibility for health insurance benefits under the Hawaii employer-union benefits trust fund, to include part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employees of the State, provided that the employee works at least twenty hours per week for at least four consecutive weeks.

The legislature intends that this Act apply to 89-day hires.

SECTION 2. Section 87A-1, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending the definition of "part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employee" to read as follows:

""Part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employee" means a person [employed for fewer than three months and whose employment is less than one-half of a full-time equivalent position.] who works at least twenty hours but less than forty hours per week for at least four consecutive weeks."

SECTION 3. Section 87A-19, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by amending subsection (a) to read as follows:

"(a) The board [may] shall offer medical, hospital, or surgical benefits plans to part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employees at no cost to the employers. The board may determine eligibility for part-time, temporary, and seasonal or casual employees by rules exempt from chapter 91 as provided in section 87A-26."

SECTION 4. Statutory material to be repealed is bracketed and stricken. New statutory material is underscored.

SECTION 5. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2010.