Author: Hawaii Employment Law Letter

Hawaii minimum wage to increase to $10.10

by Paul Saito The Hawaii Legislature has passed a bill that will increase the minimum wage from $7.25 to $10.10, with hikes every year from 2015 to 2018. Senate Bill (SB) 2609 also will increase the state’s tip credit from 25 cents to 75 cents over the next two years. The bill will be sent […]

Do you want bosses or leaders? Getting the most from managers

Bosses come in various forms. Some rule with an iron hand, others take instructions from on high and then make sure the orders are carried out by underlings, and others truly inspire everyone on their team. It’s not surprising that an inspiring manager is likely the most effective, but it’s up to the HR department […]

Baltimore council votes to ban the box

by Kevin C. McCormick Employers in Baltimore will face new restrictions in conducting criminal background checks now that the city council has passed a tough new “ban the box” law. Bill 13-0301, titled “Ban the Box—Fair Criminal Records Screening Practices,” passed the Baltimore City Council on April 28 and was expected to gain Mayor Stephanie […]

Finding inspiration from a profound moment at the airport

by Dan Oswald I’m sitting in the airport in Austin, Texas, and the faint and rare sound of a bagpipe can be heard in the background. It seems, at the very least, out of place in a major-city airport. As the sound grows louder, it’s clear that whoever is playing the instrument is drawing closer. […]

Clip[pers] his tongue!

This past week the biggest story in the NBA was not the excitement of the first round of the playoffs, but the comments L.A. Clippers owner Donald Sterling allegedly made to his girlfriend. In an audiotape released Friday by TMZ, a man (allegedly Sterling) is heard chastising his girlfriend for associating with black people and […]

Clear offer of employment needed to argue mitigation

By Katherine Pollock Want to change a Canadian employee’s terms or conditions of employment? It’s not as easy as it once was. Depending on the nature of the change, it may amount to constructive dismissal. If it does amount to constructive dismissal, simply providing notice of the change may not be sufficient—as the Court of […]

Alternatives to H-1B status and the H-1B cap

by Leigh Cole H-1B nonimmigrant status allows U.S. employers to hire international workers in “specialty occupations” that require at least a bachelor’s degree or equivalent vocational preparation. Most H-1B applications are subject to an annual limit on H-1B approvals known as the H-1B cap.   Some employers are exempt from the cap, but most H-1B applications […]

NLRB to review Northwestern University football ruling

On April 24, the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) announced that it will review a regional director’s decision that Northwestern University’s scholarship football players are employees who are eligible to unionize. The Board’s announcement came one day before a secret-ballot election, which will go on as scheduled. The NLRB said the ballots will be impounded […]

Young workers’ innovative ‘whizness’ messes with ADEA limits for business

by John Phillips Recently, a piece I heard on NPR’s Morning Edition, “Does Business Innovation Depend on a CEO’s Age?”, while driving to work caused me to swerve from one lane to another. Fortunately, my swerve didn’t result in an accident, but it did ignite a cacophony of horns.  The NPR report dealt with new […]

High court upholds Michigan’s ban on affirmative action in higher education

Michigan voters’ right to prohibit preferential race-based admissions programs in the state’s university system was upheld today by the U.S. Supreme Court in Schuette v. The Coalition to Defend Affirmative Action, Integration and Immigration Rights and Fight for Equality by Any Means Necessary (BAMN), 572 U.S. ___ (2014). In the 6-2 opinion written by Justice […]