HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.R. NO.

198

TWENTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2005

H.D. 1

STATE OF HAWAII

 
   


HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

requesting a report on the number of less than full-time public employees that are ineligible for health benefits.

 

 

WHEREAS, the problem of having a population of working citizens that are without health insurance has been a longstanding one in Hawaii; and

WHEREAS, Hawaii was once the leading state in the nation in health coverage, with the lowest number of citizens without health insurance; and

WHEREAS, currently, Hawaii no longer occupies this coveted position; and

WHEREAS, the State of Hawaii, as a public employer, is exempted from the requirements of the State's Prepaid Health Care Act; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that the State employs a number of less than full-time employees who do not enjoy health or pension benefits due to a limitation imposed on their per week working hours; and

WHEREAS, during the Regular Session of 2005, the House of Representatives conducted a public hearing on House Bill No. 1526, which proposed to extend eligibility for the Hawaii Employer-Union Health Benefits Trust Fund and the Employees' Retirement System to public employees who work 20 or more hours per week but who are considered less than full-time; and

WHEREAS, the purpose of House Bill No. 1526 was to address the problem of "emergency" part-time employees, otherwise known as "eighty-nine-day" contract employees, who are hired for no more than 89 consecutive day periods to avoid the provision of health and pension benefits; and

WHEREAS, upon the conclusion of the public hearing on House Bill No. 1526, it became evident that the Legislature does not have enough factual information regarding the extent of this problem to make a reasoned decision; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature also does not have sufficient information regarding whether 20 hours per week is an appropriate or equitable threshold to qualify for health and pension benefits, or whether there are a significant number of persons occupying half-time equivalent positions who work less than 20 hours per week; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-third Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2005, that this body requests the Department of Human Resources Development (DHRD), the Judiciary, Department of Education, University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation to report on the number of employees under their respective jurisdictions who:

(1) Are considered part-time employees;

(2) Are considered "eighty-nine-day emergency" hires;

(3) Occupy a position that is at least half of a full-time equivalent position and who work less than 20 hours a week; and

(4) Are not receiving health or pension benefits;

and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each of the above referenced jurisdictional entities provide the following additional information to DHRD:

(1) The length of time eighty-nine-day emergency hires are retained on average;

(2) Whether these employees are receiving benefits from another source; and

(3) If benefits are being received, what the source is (whether it is through a pension plan, Quest (Medicaid), or through a spouse's employment or pension system); and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that each jurisdiction is requested to transmit the information requested under this measure to DHRD and that DHRD is requested to compile the information into a single report; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that DHRD is requested to report the combined findings and any recommendations to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2006; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of DHRD, Chief Justice of the Supreme Court, Chairperson of the Board of Education, Chairperson of the University of Hawaii Board of Regents, and Executive Director of the Hawaii Health Systems Corporation.

Report Title:

Public Employees; Emergency Hires; Health Benefits