Certain state employees including teachers, principals, vice principals and professors faced a heightened risk of exposure to COVID-19 during the pandemic due to the nature of their work and the need for consistent in-person presence. These employees, including those in Bargaining Units 5, 6, and 7, provided essential services to the public, often in challenging and potentially hazardous environments. Their dedication and sacrifice helped maintain critical functions of the state and ensured the well-being of Hawaiʻi’s residents.
We believe a one-time hazard pay bonus is an appropriate way to recognize and compensate these employees for their extraordinary service during the pandemic. This measure serves as a token of appreciation for their commitment and acknowledges the risks they undertook to fulfill their duties.
Educators Advocate for Hazard Pay
Natalia Sandoval, a special education preschool teacher at Waikīkī Elementary, and Daphna Ehrenhalt, a fifth-grade inclusion teacher at Keaʻau Elementary, share their experiences teaching during the pandemic. They discuss the sacrifices made to support students’ education and advocate for hazard pay to recognize the risks they took to ensure learning continued.
EDUCATOR HAZARD PAY
TELL YOUR STORY
HSTA members and retirees:
Tell us why you deserve these payments
LEGISLATIVE BILLS
For the 2025 Hawaiʻi Legislative Session, bills have been introduced to propose appropriating funds for a one-time hazard pay bonus to state officers and employees in Bargaining Units 5, 6, and 7. In the state Senate, Sen. Henry Aquino, who chairs the Senate’s Labor and Technology Committee, has introduced SB 181. A companion bill, HB 618 was introduced in the state House by Rep. Justin Woodson, who chairs the House Education Committee and 15 other representatives. Track their progress below.
If you are an HSTA member, please stay connected and join us in advocating for this important issue!
- Make sure you have a registered account on our website, and
- Subscribe to our weekly Member Matters email newsletters.
If you are a Bargaining Unit 05 member, please join our union!