Pregnancy can bring about many life changes, both at home and in the workplace. One thing that should never be part of that experience is workplace discrimination. Employees should be able to focus on their health and growing families without worrying about unfair...
Resilience And Strength
Employment Law
“Captive audience” meetings and your rights in the workplace
About a dozen states, including Hawaii, have enacted laws to prohibit employers from having “captive audience” meetings of a political nature. In other words, they can’t require employees to attend such meetings or events. These laws also prohibit employers from...
Protected characteristics for Hawaii employees
Federal law protects most employees and job applicants from discrimination based on protected characteristics. These are age, color, disability, genetic information (including family medical history), national origin, race, religion and sex. Individual states, and...
Do you really have to give 2 weeks’ notice?
You know that other employees at the business where you work have often given two weeks’ notice before they quit their jobs. It is certainly common courtesy, and your employer may even have a policy stating that two weeks’ notice is preferred. The employer would like...
How the law protects certain employee activities in Hawaii
Protected activities are legal actions or complaints that employees take when they believe something wrongful is happening at work. In Hawaii, this includes reporting illegal actions by an employer, opposing discrimination, requesting reasonable accommodations or...
Accommodation denials are a common form of discrimination
Employers should judge candidates for open positions based on their performance and professional credentials. Federal and state laws prohibit discrimination against workers based on characteristics they cannot control. Businesses should not consider personal...
What if you believe you have been wrongfully terminated?
Being an at-will state, employers in Hawaii, in most cases, can terminate an employment relationship at any time without giving an employee a reason. Consequently, it can be challenging for an employee to identify illegal termination. However, if you believe your...
3 ways employers may discriminate against pregnant workers
Pregnancy is a challenging process. Women go through many physical and emotional changes as they prepare to bring new life into this world. The birth of a child is also likely to be very expensive, so most expectant mothers do not want to give up their employment...
What to do if you suspect retaliation at work
Experiencing retaliation at work can feel overwhelming and stressful. If you believe you are facing retaliatory behavior, it is essential to recognize the signs and take appropriate action to protect your rights and well-being. What are the signs of retaliation?...
Health insurance and bereavement leave in Hawaii
Hawaii has unique employment laws that greatly help workers while ensuring employers create a good work environment. Two notable benefits are the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act and the paid bereavement leave. Let’s look closely at how these two might differ from...

