Hawaii combines one of the higher state minimum wages with a small, conditional tip credit, weekly-only overtime and quick final pay rules. It also requires most employers to provide temporary disability insurance. Here is a quick summary before the details.
EZTime labor rule alerts flag overtime and missed rest periods before payroll.
| Topic | Rule |
|---|---|
| Minimum wage | $16.00 per hour since January 1, 2026; $18.00 on January 1, 2028 (DLIR) |
| Tipped employees | Up to $1.25 tip credit if wages plus tips are at least $7.00 above the minimum (tip credit notice) |
| Overtime | 1.5x pay over 40 hours in a workweek; no daily overtime outside public works |
| Meal and rest breaks | No adult requirement; 14- and 15-year-olds get 30 minutes after 5 hours (breaks page) |
| Sick and disability leave | Temporary disability insurance (TDI) required (TDI overview) |
| Paydays | At least twice a month on regular paydays set in advance |
| Final pay | Discharge: immediately or next working day. Quit: next regular payday (Unpaid Wages) |
The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) Wage Standards Division lists the state minimum wage at $16.00 per hour beginning January 1, 2026. The next scheduled step is $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2028. DLIR does not list any change for January 1, 2027, so $16.00 remains the floor for all of 2027.
Hawaii's law has a few coverage quirks. Employment that is subject to the federal Fair Labor Standards Act is excluded from state coverage unless the state rate is higher, which it currently is. Domestic service workers are covered by the state minimum wage and overtime rules. Employees who receive guaranteed compensation of $4,000 or more per month are exempt from the state minimum wage, overtime and recordkeeping requirements, according to DLIR's Wage and Hour FAQs.
Hawaii allows a small tip credit, but only under specific conditions spelled out in DLIR's tip credit notice. The employee must customarily and regularly receive more than $20 a month in tips, and the combined amount of cash wages plus tips must be at least $7.00 more than the applicable minimum wage. When those conditions are met, the maximum credit is $1.25 per hour in 2026 and 2027, which means a cash wage of no less than $14.75 per hour. If an employee's tips fall short of the $7.00 cushion in a given period, the employer cannot take the full credit and must make up the difference.
Hawaii requires overtime at one and one-half times the regular rate for all hours over 40 in a workweek. There is no general daily overtime rule. The exception is State or county public works construction covered by Chapter 104, HRS, where overtime applies after 8 hours a day and on Saturdays, Sundays and State holidays.
Compare the state rule with federal law in our FLSA overtime guide, or run the numbers with the overtime calculator.
According to DLIR's meal and rest breaks page, Hawaii has no law requiring meal or rest breaks for adult employees. Break policies are up to the employer. Two pay rules still apply when you do give breaks:
The one mandatory break is in the child labor law: minors aged 14 and 15 must receive a 30-minute rest or meal period after five consecutive hours of work.
Hawaii's wage and hour materials do not list a general paid sick leave mandate for private employers. Instead, the state requires most employers to provide Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), which replaces part of an employee's wages when a non-work illness or injury, including pregnancy, keeps them off the job.
Hawaii's family leave law, summarized on the state labor law poster, provides up to four weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave for employees with at least six consecutive months of service at employers with 100 or more employees. Where an employer already offers paid sick leave, employees may use up to 10 days of their accrued sick leave per year for family leave purposes, unless a union contract provides more.
Under HRS Chapter 388, as explained on DLIR's Unpaid Wages page, employers must pay wages at least twice each calendar month on regular paydays designated in advance, and wages must be paid within seven days after the end of each pay period. At hiring, you must tell employees in writing their rate of pay and the day, hour and place of payment.
| Situation | Final pay deadline |
|---|---|
| Employer discharges, terminates or lays off | All wages due at the time of discharge, or no later than the next working day |
| Employee quits without notice | No later than the next regular payday |
| Employee quits with at least one pay period's notice | All wages due on the last day of work |
Pay statements must show gross wages, the amount and purpose of each deduction, net pay, the payment date and the pay period covered. If wages are disputed, you must pay the amount you concede is owed without conditions; requiring a release as a condition of payment makes that release void.
Hawaii requires a certificate for workers under 18, as described on DLIR's child labor page.
| Group | Rule |
|---|---|
| Ages 14–15, certificate | Certificate of Employment (form CL-1) obtained by the employer before the minor starts; a new one for each employer or occupation |
| Ages 14–15, hours | 3 hours on school days and 8 on non-school days; 18 hours in a school week and 40 in a non-school week; no more than 6 consecutive days |
| Ages 14–15, time of day | 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on school days and the day before; 6 a.m. to 9 p.m. on non-school days and the day before |
| Ages 16–17 | Certificate of Age (eCL-3), applied for online; no hour limits except when the minor is required to be in school |
Hawaii employers must keep payroll records for at least six years. Records should show hours worked each day and workweek, straight-time and overtime wages, total wages for each pay period, and each employee's dates of hire and termination. Employers must display the Minimum Wage Notice available on the minimum wage page, and DLIR publishes a combined Hawaii labor laws poster. A time card calculator can help you double-check weekly totals.
EZTime gives Hawaii businesses one place to capture hours and keep them compliant. Employees can clock in from a GPS mobile time clock with geofencing, tap NFC tags at a job site, or use a tablet kiosk or biometric clock at the front door. Managers build shifts with templates and approve swaps in the scheduling software, get alerts before someone crosses an overtime threshold or misses a break, and track PTO and sick-leave balances automatically. At the end of the period, export payroll-ready Excel or PDF reports that work with any payroll software. Plans start from $2 per employee per month, with a 14-day trial — see pricing.
This guide is general information, not legal advice. Laws change; check the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division or an employment attorney. Last reviewed November 2026.
It is $16.00 per hour, effective January 1, 2026. The next scheduled increase is to $18.00 per hour on January 1, 2028.
Yes, but it is small and conditional. If an employee earns more than $20 a month in tips and wages plus tips are at least $7.00 above the minimum wage, the employer may take up to $1.25 per hour.
No. Overtime is owed for hours over 40 in a workweek. Daily overtime after 8 hours applies only on covered State or county public works construction projects.
Not for adults. The only mandatory break is for 14- and 15-year-olds, who must get a 30-minute rest or meal period after five consecutive hours of work.
If you discharge an employee, pay all wages at the time of discharge or by the next working day. If the employee quits, pay by the next regular payday, or on the last day if they gave one pay period’s notice.