Hawaiʻi enacted Act 1 (2021) requiring hotels and similar hospitality employers to recall laid-off workers by seniority when positions reopen, protecting Honolulu's tourism workforce from displacement after pandemic-era layoffs and ownership changes.
HRS §378-101 (Act 1, Special Session 2021) requires hotel, resort, and large hospitality employers operating on Oʻahu to offer reinstatement to employees laid off after March 1, 2020, before hiring outside applicants. Employers must contact eligible workers in writing within five days of a vacancy and rank candidates by seniority. The law covers housekeepers, banquet staff, food and beverage workers, and other classifications. Coverage extends through successor employers when properties are sold. Workers may file complaints with the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and pursue private right of action.
Employers who skip the recall list face civil penalties, back wages, reinstatement orders, and attorney fees recoverable through DLIR complaints or court action.
Honolulu, HI
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Honolulu, HI
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See how Honolulu's hotel worker retention rules stack up against other locations.
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