Salaried Department of Education employees must submit all forms by Sept. 13

Posted: July 16, 2024

After emotional requests from our Hawaiʻi State Teachers Association Maui Chapter members and support from the Hawaiʻi Board of Education, the Hawaiʻi State Department of Education is implementing a Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program.

All salaried HIDOE employees can donate leave to coworkers who lost or suffered severe damage to their primary place of residence due to wildfires that devastated Maui last August.

This program is a unique, one-time, standalone leave sharing program separate from the department’s ongoing leave sharing program. Donations will provide affected employees with additional leave to address personal business needed to recover from this loss.

Special forms are required to donate and utilize leave through the Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program. All forms must be submitted by close of business on Friday, Sept. 13.

HSTA President Osa Tui, Jr. said, “I’m glad that after our members made their case to the Board of Education, we’re finally seeing this come to fruition to support our members who have had to use what little personal leave they have to deal with a myriad of issues related to insurance claims, demolishing and rebuilding their homes and jumping through hoops to get back on their feet.

“Mahalo to Maui teachers who journeyed to Oahu to speak on behalf of their colleagues who are still dealing with the aftermath of these fires nearly a year later,” Tui added.

The HSTA originally asked for the Maui leave bank in September not long after the fires. The employer rejected our request in March.

“We thank Board of Education Chair Roy Takumi and other BOE members who made this a reality after the department dismissed our requests for other employees to give their colleagues some relief,” Tui said.

If you would like to donate leave

Salaried HIDOE employees with accumulated leave are invited to donate up to a maximum of 10 days to the special Maui Wildfires Leave Share Bank by completing this Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program Donation Form by Sept. 13.

If you were impacted by the Maui wildfires and need leave

Salaried HIDOE employees who lost or suffered severe damage to their primary place of residence as a result of the Maui wildfires can request leave by completing this Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program Application by Sept. 13.

Recipients may receive up to a maximum of 10 days. In the event there is insufficient leave to award all eligible recipients the maximum 10 days, the donated leave will be divided equally amongst the eligible recipients.

Key program dates

  • July 15 through Sept. 13, 2024: Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program applications and donation forms will be accepted. Recipients and donors must complete and submit the required forms no later than the close of business on Sept. 13, 2024.
  • Oct. 15, 2024: Recipients will be notified of donated leave. Donated leaves may be taken upon receipt of the Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program approval letter.
  • June 30, 2025: Recipients must use all donated leave days by this date. Any remaining donated leave days not utilized through the Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program will be transferred to the Department’s Leave Sharing Program Central Leave Bank.

For more information

The Maui Wildfires Leave Share Program is jointly administered and implemented by the HIDOE’s Office of Fiscal Services and Office of Talent Management.

If you have questions regarding your personal accrued leave balance, contact your timekeeper to obtain a copy of your Form 7. Leave Share Program-related questions may be directed as follows:

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