by Marti Cardi, Esq. - Senior Compliance Consultant and Legal Counsel
& Gail Cohen, Esq. - Assistant General Counsel, Employment and Litigation
July 13, 2017
On July 10, 2017, the governor of Hawaii signed an amendment to the state’s family leave law, adding siblings as a family member for whom an employee can take leave. The amendment took effect immediately.
Under the Hawaii law, employees who have worked for an employer for at least 6 consecutive months are entitled to 4 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave per 12-month period:
- To bond with a newborn biological child or newly adopted child (a newly placed foster child is not covered); and
- To care for the employee’s child, spouse, reciprocal beneficiary, sibling, or parent with a serious health condition.
The terms “child” and “parent” are defined broadly by the Hawaii statute for the purpose of caring for a family member with a serious health condition:
- Child: biological, adopted, or foster son or daughter, a stepchild, or a legal ward of an employee.
- Parent: biological, foster, or adoptive parent, a parent-in-law, a stepparent, a legal guardian, a grandparent,
or a grandparent-in-law.
Employers with 100 or more employees must comply with the law.
The Hawaii family leave law does not provide leave for an employee’s own serious health condition. However, the state does have a pregnancy disability leave law; temporary disability benefits for up to 26 weeks per year through an employee/employer funded state program; and leave to donate an organ, bone marrow, or peripheral blood stem cells.
MATRIX CAN HELP! Matrix provides leave, disability, and accommodation management services to employers seeking a comprehensive and compliant solution to these complex employer obligations. We monitor the many leave laws being passed around the country and specialize in understanding how they work together. For leave management and accommodation assistance, contact us at [email protected].