Along with the change of seasons, birthday parties, and anniversary celebrations, work holidays are one of the ways we measure the passing of the year. Legal holidays help us remember and pay tribute to historical figures and national events, and give us a few extra Mondays or Fridays at the beach, which is nice.
So which days are we celebrating in the Aloha State? This is a quick introduction to legal holidays laws in Hawaii.
Holidays in Hawaii
Most of the big legal holidays, like Christmas, Thanksgiving, and Memorial Day, are celebrated nationwide, but some states have their own legal holidays laws. For example, Hawaii also celebrates Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day and King Kamehameha Day.
Hawaii Legal Holidays Statutes
Hawaii’s legal holiday statutes are listed below.
| Code Section | Hawaii Revised Statutes 8-1, et seq.: Holidays |
| Holidays | New Year's Day; Martin Luther King, Jr.'s Birthday; President's Day; Good Friday; Memorial Day; Independence Day; Labor Day; Veterans Day; Thanksgiving; Christmas; Prince Jonah Kuhio Kalanianaole Day; King Kamehameha Day; Election Day except primary election; Statehood Day |
Legal Holidays and Employment
Since most of these holidays give us a day off of work, it’s only natural to wonder how legal holidays affect our employment , and of course if we’ll get paid extra for working on a holiday, and how much. Hawaii’s wage and hour laws and minimum wage and overtime pay statutes set the standard for how much we can earn. But not all employers are required to provide paid time off for holidays, nor are most employers required to pay employees extra for working legal holidays.
There's no federal employment law that requires extra pay for work performed on legal holidays, and under state law, private employers in Hawaii can make their employees work on holidays and pay them only their normal wage. Even without legal requirements, most bosses understand the benefits of having a happy staff, and will voluntarily give employees legal holidays off or provide overtime pay for working on a holiday. Your specific employment contract will often determine how your employer treats legal holidays.
More Resources for Hawaii Legal Holidays Laws
State employment laws, and how employers treat legal holidays, can differ. You can consult with an experienced Hawaii employment law attorney in your area if you would like legal help with an employment matter. And FindLaw's section on Employment Law can provide you with further reading and resources on this topic.
