One day left to vote!

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 13, 2024

Aloha Subscriber,

Gov. Josh Green’s administration has offered HGEA a settlement for our temporary hazard pay grievances split into two compensation tiers — $10,000 and $20,000.

According to the settlement offer on the table, the THP payout that members receive will be based on the days affected employees physically worked their regular schedule during the period of March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. Unlike previous arbitrations in other jurisdictions, it is not based on the severity of exposure to the hazard, but rather on total days worked.

Those who physically reported to work for 420 days or more during the emergency proclamation would be entitled to $20,000. Those who worked a hybrid schedule (physical at work and telework) and physically reported to work for less than 420 days would be eligible for compensation of $10,000. Employees on alternate work schedules (4-10, 8-12, 10-month) have a different minimum day requirement for tier 1 placement. See settlement details before casting your vote.

HGEA is NOT making a recommendation on whether you should accept or reject this settlement offer.

READ SETTLEMENT DETAILS

Voting Information

All voting will be done through electronic ballot.
Voting starts on Wednesday, April 10 and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
An electronic ratification ballot was sent to your personal email address from “HGEA Ballot,” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA Temporary Hazard Pay Settlement Ratification.”
If you do not see a ballot email in your personal inbox on April 10, check your Junk Mail or Spam folder. See instructions on how to request a ballot. Requests for ballots must be received by 12:30 p.m. on April 14 (no later than four hours before the close of electronic voting).

Results of the ratification votes will be reported on Monday, April 15.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

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April 13, 2024

Watch Now: ?️ Natasha Puaoi National Library Worker’s Day

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 11, 2024

This week we celebrate National Library Workers’ Day. Mahalo to all library workers for being important resources for their communities and cultivating a love of reading.

Natasha has been a lifelong bookworm, passing on her love of reading to her daughters. Through her work, she has been able to help her community, especially the homeless community, find lifesaving resources and reconnect with loved ones. Mahalo for all that you do, Natasha!

WATCH NOW

April 14-20 is National Public Safety Telecommunicators Week. Mahalo to all telecommunicators for their dedicated work to ensure the health and safety of Hawaii.

April 26 is National Administrative Professionals Day. Mahalo to all admin professionals for their dedicated work to ensure operations run smoothly.

Each day across the country, more than 340 workers are killed and more than 6,000 suffer injury and illness because of dangerous working conditions that are preventable. That is why more than 50 years ago on April 28, Workers Memorial Day went into effect, promising every worker the right to a safe job — a fundamental right.

For nearly 90 years, HGEA has fought for a seat at the negotiation table to ensure our members’ safety and wellbeing. Together on this Workers Memorial Day, we echo the need for safe jobs and raise our collective voice to protect these rights alongside our partners at AFL-CIO.

Are you attending the Hawaii Democratic Party Convention on May 18 and 19? HGEA may be able to help subsidize the registration cost of being a delegate, however, we are trying to get an idea of how many members plan to attend. Take the survey below. This will help us formulate an accurate and responsible budget.

TAKE THE SURVEY

Hoʻomaikaʻi to our members who received the 2023 Librarian of the Year and Excellence in Service awards, broadcasted on Hawaii News Now’s Sunrise newscast.

Librarian of the Year, Unit 13

Tamara King, Kahuku Public & School Library, Oahu
Elizabeth Knight, Makawao Public Library, Maui
Susan Nakata, Library Development Services, Oahu

Excellence in Service Winners, Unit 3

Stacy Fujitani, Keaau Public & School Library, Hawaii Island
Eric Larsen, Lihue Public Library, Kauai
Ann Wallner, Makawao Public Library, Maui

Eric Larsen, Lihue Public Library, Kauai

Tamara King (second from left) with colleagues at Kahuku Public & School Library, Oahu

2024 National NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year Nominee

Congrats Jeffrey Horstman, Unit 6, Mililani Middle School principal, for being nominated as one of the finalists for the 2024 NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year award. This award recognizes outstanding assistant principals who are raising the bar in teaching and learning. Way to go, Jeffrey!

Maui Dispatchers Honored

for Wildfire Response

Maui dispatchers have garnered more national recognition for their heroic work during last year’s devastating wildfires.

The Maui Police Department said, “This recognition is a testament to the exceptional teamwork, leadership, and expertise exhibited by every member of our 911 call center. Their tireless efforts responding to emergency calls, coordinating critical resources, and providing invaluable support to first responders speak volumes of their commitment to our community.”

HGEA Member Earns Prestigious Abbott Medal for Marathon Finishes

Steven Pavao, a member of our Managerial and Confidential Employee Chapter, became the first Hawaii island resident to win the Abbott Six Star Finisher Medal, a prestigious award given to runners who successfully complete all six of the World Marathon Majors. He has been running marathons for the past 15 years, competing in North America, Australia, Asia and Europe.

Have you voted yet?

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 11, 2024

Aloha Subscriber,

Gov. Josh Green’s administration has offered HGEA a settlement for our temporary hazard pay grievances split into two compensation tiers — $10,000 and $20,000.

According to the settlement offer on the table, the THP payout that members receive will be based on the days affected employees physically worked their regular schedule during the period of March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. Unlike previous arbitrations in other jurisdictions, it is not based on the severity of exposure to the hazard, but rather on total days worked.

Those who physically reported to work for 420 days or more during the emergency proclamation would be entitled to $20,000. Those who worked a hybrid schedule (physical at work and telework) and physically reported to work for less than 420 days would be eligible for compensation of $10,000. Employees on alternate work schedules (4-10, 8-12, 10-month) have a different minimum day requirement for tier 1 placement. See settlement details before casting your vote.

HGEA is NOT making a recommendation on whether you should accept or reject this settlement offer.

READ SETTLEMENT DETAILS

Voting Information

All voting will be done through electronic ballot.
Voting starts on Wednesday, April 10 and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
An electronic ratification ballot was sent to your personal email address from “HGEA Ballot,” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA Temporary Hazard Pay Settlement Ratification.”
If you do not see a ballot email in your personal inbox on April 10, check your Junk Mail or Spam folder. See instructions on how to request a ballot. Requests for ballots must be received by 12:30 p.m. on April 14 (no later than four hours before the close of electronic voting).

Results of the ratification votes will be reported on Monday, April 15.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

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April 11, 2024

Voting starts now!

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 10, 2024

Aloha Subscriber,

Gov. Josh Green’s administration has offered HGEA a settlement for our temporary hazard pay grievances split into two compensation tiers — $10,000 and $20,000.

According to the settlement offer on the table, the THP payout that members receive will be based on the days affected employees physically worked their regular schedule during the period of March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. Unlike previous arbitrations in other jurisdictions, it is not based on the severity of exposure to the hazard, but rather on total days worked.

Those who physically reported to work for 420 days or more during the emergency proclamation would be entitled to $20,000. Those who worked a hybrid schedule (physical at work and telework) and physically reported to work for less than 420 days would be eligible for compensation of $10,000. Employees on alternate work schedules (4-10, 8-12, 10-month) have a different minimum day requirement for tier 1 placement. See settlement details before casting your vote.

HGEA is NOT making a recommendation on whether you should accept or reject this settlement offer.

READ SETTLEMENT DETAILS

Voting Information

All voting will be done through electronic ballot.
Voting starts today, Wednesday, April 10, and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
An electronic ratification ballot was sent to your personal email address from “HGEA Ballot,” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA Temporary Hazard Pay Settlement Ratification.”
If you do not see a ballot email in your personal inbox on April 10, check your Junk Mail or Spam folder. See instructions on how to request a ballot. Requests for ballots must be received by 12:30 p.m. on April 14 (no later than four hours before the close of electronic voting).

Results of the ratification votes will be reported on Monday, April 15.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

April 10, 2024

Hazard Pay Settlement Vote Starts Wed. April 10

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 8, 2024

Gov. Josh Green’s administration has offered HGEA a settlement for our temporary hazard pay grievances split into two compensation tiers — $10,000 and $20,000.

According to the settlement offer on the table, the THP payout that members receive will be based on the days affected employees physically worked their regular schedule during the period of March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. Unlike previous arbitrations in other jurisdictions, it is not based on the severity of exposure to the hazard, but rather on total days worked.

Those who physically reported to work for 420 days or more during the emergency proclamation would be entitled to $20,000. Those who worked a hybrid schedule (physical at work and telework) and physically reported to work for less than 420 days would be eligible for compensation of $10,000.

HGEA is NOT making a recommendation on whether you should accept or reject this settlement offer.

READ SETTLEMENT DETAILS

Voting Information

All voting will be done through electronic ballot.
Voting starts on Wednesday, April 10 and will remain open until 4:30 p.m. on Sunday, April 14.
On April 10, an electronic ratification ballot will be sent to your personal email address from “HGEA Ballot,” with the subject, “BALLOT: HGEA Temporary Hazard Pay Settlement Ratification.”
If you do not see a ballot email in your personal inbox on April 10, check your Junk Mail or Spam folder. See instructions on how to request a ballot. Requests for ballots must be received by 12:30 p.m. on April 14 (no later than four hours before the close of electronic voting).

Results of the ratification votes will be reported on Monday, April 15.

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

April 8, 2024

Kauai THP Update

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 4, 2024

Kauai County Mayor Derek Kawakami can’t be serious about his recent (and unfair) offer to settle our temporary hazard pay case on behalf of our members. While the state is offering a settlement of $10,000 or $20,000 based on days worked during the emergency proclamation, Kawakami offered a paltry $7,000 for everyone, whether employed during the pandemic or not.

You gotta be kidding with this. Were Kauai County employees less affected by the pandemic than their state government colleagues? No way. We are better off proceeding with the second phase of arbitration than entertaining meager offers from Mayor Kawakami.

HGEA is not going to relent. We’ve already secured a phase I decision establishing that a hazard indeed existed for county employees during the pandemic, covering the duration of Gov. David Ige’s emergency proclamation from March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. And while the arbitrator went beyond the scope of the case by making eligibility decisions, HGEA is still in a strong position to argue in the next phase that our members deserve fair compensation, whether at the most severe (25%) or severe (15%) level.

We will accept no less than what the state is offering its employees.

WATCH NOW

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

April 4, 2024

DOE THP Update

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 4, 2024

Now that we’ve successfully secured a win in arbitration for temporary hazard pay on behalf of state Department of Education employees, we’re working with the state budget director to ensure that money for this award gets put in this year’s budget and approved by the Legislature before the session closes soon.

The DOE decision was HGEA’s largest temporary hazard pay win to-date, with a significant number of the 7,800 school employees organized into Units 2, 3, 4, 9 and 13 likely awarded hazard pay at the highest rate. Exact eligibility determinations are still pending.

We have a meeting with the employer to reach some kind of agreement for funding. Our goal is to make sure money is set aside in this year’s budget to prevent any kind of delay in payouts to our members.

Stay turned for more updates soon.

Watch Randy’s update on our THP arbitration with DOE!

WATCH NOW

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

– – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – – –

April 4, 2024

Big News: We got a THP offer from the state

EVENTS COMING SOON | PERKS & DISCOUNTS | GIVE A MEMBER A SHAKA | April 4, 2024

Members could receive a temporary hazard payout within the calendar year after Gov. Josh Green’s administration offered HGEA a settlement split into two compensation tiers — $10,000 and $20,000.

According to the settlement offer on the table, the THP payout that members receive will be based on the days affected employees physically worked their regular schedule during the period of March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022. Unlike previous arbitrations in other jurisdictions, it is not based on the severity of exposure to the hazard, but rather on total days worked.

Those who physically reported to work for 420 days or more during the emergency proclamation would be entitled to $20,000. Those who worked a hybrid schedule (physical at work and telework) and physically reported to work for less than 420 days would be eligible for compensation of $10,000.

The offer would cover employees organized into Units 2, 3, 4, 9, 13 and 14 employed within the executive branch, University of Hawaii, public charter schools, the Judiciary, and the Hawaii Health Systems Corp.

We’ve spent several years fighting this battle. We’re confident that we would win our outstanding cases should we proceed to arbitration rather than accept a settlement. A settlement, however, would mean cash-in-hand sooner rather than later, with the first installment scheduled for this October.

The choice is now before you, our members. HGEA is NOT making a recommendation on whether you should accept or reject this settlement offer. The Governor has made a good-faith and relatively fair offer to resolve this sooner than later and we felt it was necessary to bring it out to you for a vote. Watch Randy’s video and review the FAQs below and vote how you feel is best.

Ratification is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 8.

Members eligible to vote will receive an email with a ballot link.

More details to come.

READ SETTLEMENT FAQS

FOLLOW US

Please do not reply to this email as we are not able to respond to messages sent to this address.

For a complete list of member discounts or for more HGEA news, visit www.hgea.org.

If you have specific inquiries, contact your local HGEA office or the HGEA Member Service Center at

(808) 543-0000 or service@hgea.org.

HGEA News
Hawaii Government Employees Association
888 Mililani Street, Suite 401
Honolulu, HI 96813

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April 4, 2024

HGEA

Author: support@14oranges.com

The results are in – HHSC

Last chance to vote!

Voting Information

One day left to vote!

Voting Information

Watch Now: ?️ Natasha Puaoi National Library Worker’s Day

2024 National NASSP Assistant Principal of the Year Nominee

Maui Dispatchers Honored

for Wildfire Response

HGEA Member Earns Prestigious Abbott Medal for Marathon Finishes

Have you voted yet?

Voting Information

Voting starts now!

Voting Information

Hazard Pay Settlement Vote Starts Wed. April 10

Voting Information

Kauai THP Update

DOE THP Update

Big News: We got a THP offer from the state

Ratification is tentatively scheduled for the week of April 8.