Hawaii Employment Attorneys

At DearLegal, we connect you with experienced Hawaii employment attorneys who handle HCRC discrimination, wage, retaliation, and wrongful-termination claims for workers across Honolulu, Hilo, Kailua-Kona, and Maui.

Free to use — no fee unless you win
Matched with a Hawaii attorney in 24 hours
30,000+ plaintiffs served nationwide

Free Hawaii employment case review

A Hawaii attorney will take a look. Or call 1-833-WELEGAL.

How we match your Hawaii employment case

When you submit a Hawaii employment matter, we route it through a national network of independent partner firms and put it in front of the one that fits best — based on the kind of case it is, what it is likely to involve, where it has to be handled, and who has capacity to take it on now.

Case type

A employment matter needs someone who handles employment work day to day, not a generalist. Practice area is the first filter.

Size and complexity

Some firms are built for catastrophic injury and multi-party litigation; others resolve straightforward claims quickly. We weigh what your matter is likely to involve against how each firm actually works.

Jurisdiction and licensing

Your matter is decided under Hawaii law, so it goes to an attorney licensed in Hawaii who regularly appears where your case would be heard.

Capacity and fit

Availability, conflicts of interest and language all matter. If the best-fit firm cannot take your case, we route it to the next one that can — or tell you plainly when no one in the network is the right answer.

Every partner reviews your case for free. Injury and workers’ compensation matters are handled on contingency — no fee unless you win. Other matters are quoted upfront, before you commit to anything.

Get started How DearLegal works

DearLegal provides marketing and matching services and is not a law firm. Submitting a case does not create an attorney-client relationship. Matches depend on case type, jurisdiction and firm availability.

Exhibit A

What happens with an employment claim in Hawaii

Day 0
Something happens at work.
A firing, demotion, missed pay, harassment, retaliation. Write down dates, names and what was said, and save emails and pay stubs before access disappears.
Within 24 hours
Tell us what happened.
Two minutes on this page. A Hawaii employment attorney reviews it for free and, if it’s a fit, you’re matched within 24 hours.
Weeks 1–4
Your attorney builds the record.
Personnel file, pay records, texts, witness accounts, the handbook. Employers keep meticulous files; you need one too.
Months 1–3
Demand, or an agency charge.
Many Hawaii employment claims start with a demand letter or a charge with the state agency or the EEOC. Your attorney picks the route that protects your deadlines.
Within 180 days
Suit is filed if it has to be.
Hawaii gives 180 days for this step. Missing it can end the claim before it starts.
Resolution
Settlement or judgment.
You pay nothing along the way. The fee — typically 33% — comes only out of what’s recovered. If nothing is recovered, you owe nothing.

State Anti-Discrimination Statute: Employment Practices
Hawaii Employment Practices Act, HRS § 378-1 et seq. Protected: race, sex (incl. gender identity/expression, sexual orientation), age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest/court record, credit history, domestic/sexual violence victim status, breastfeeding, reproductive health decisions.
Deadline to File Charge: 180 days
180 days to file with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) under HRS § 368-11. Work-share agreement with EEOC.
At-Will Doctrine: At-will state
At-will state with public-policy exception (Parnar v. Americana Hotels, 1982). Statutory protections for workers' comp retaliation (HRS § 378-32), whistleblowing (Whistleblowers' Protection Act, § 378-61), and jury duty.
Non-Compete Enforceability: HRS § 480-4
HRS § 480-4(d) prohibits non-competes for technology workers (2015 reform). Other industries: enforceable if reasonable in time, geography, scope, and supported by a legitimate business interest. Blue-pencil reformation permitted.
Minimum Wage & Overtime: $14.00
Hawaii minimum wage $14.00/hour (2024), rising to $16 in 2026 and $18 by 2028. Overtime under HRS § 387-3 — 1.5x after 40 hours weekly. Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act requires employer health insurance for employees working 20+ hours/week.
Typical attorney fee: 33%
33%–40% contingency — no fee unless you win

The Hawaii Employment Practices Act (HRS § 378-1 et seq.) prohibits discrimination based on race, sex (including gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, credit history (with exceptions), domestic or sexual violence victim status, breastfeeding, and reproductive health decision. Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) charges are filed within 180 days. Hawaii is at-will with a public-policy exception recognized in Parnar v. Americana Hotels. Non-competes are restricted for technology workers under HRS § 480-4(d) (2015 reform — prohibits non-competes in tech) and otherwise subject to a reasonableness test. Hawaii minimum wage is $14.00/hour (2024), rising to $18 by 2028. Hawaii has Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI), Prepaid Health Care Act (universal health coverage), and various leave protections.

Exhibit B

When to call an employment attorney in Hawaii

Does any of this sound like you? Tap what applies.

Exhibit C

Employment cases we take in Hawaii

Which one is closest to yours?

Race and national-origin discrimination

HEPA HRS § 378-2 and Title VII. Hawaii's multicultural workforce and tourism industry generate significant claims.

Sound like yours? A Hawaii attorney reviews it free — no fee unless they win.

Start my free review

Exhibit D

How much do Hawaii employment attorneys cost?

Sample settlement statement

Hawaii · Employment

Recovery$100,000

Attorney fee · 33%− $33,000

Case costs (advanced by firm)repaid at the end

To you$67,000

Due today$0

Try a different recovery$100,000

$5,000$3,000,000

Illustrative only. Your fee terms are set in a written agreement with your attorney and may include costs and expenses regardless of outcome.

Most Hawaii employment attorneys work on contingency: the fee is a share of what they recover, and nothing if they don’t.

Hawaii employment attorneys work on contingency or hybrid arrangements — typically 33%–40% of recovery. HEPA, Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, and federal employment statutes shift attorney fees to the employer when the worker prevails.

A good attorney walks through every number at your free consultation — before you sign anything.

Get startedTakes about two minutes. No obligation.

Exhibit E

What your Hawaii employment compensation can include

A Hawaii employment recovery is built from several parts. Tap one to see what it covers.

Back Pay

Lost wages and benefits from termination to judgment under HEPA and Title VII. Uncapped.

DearLegal is a legal referral service, not a law firm. We connect individuals with licensed attorneys who can evaluate their case. Nothing on this page constitutes legal advice. Results vary based on individual circumstances.

Exhibit F

Hawaii employment questions, answered

Still unsure? Tell us what happened and a Hawaii attorney will review it for free.

Start free review

File with the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission (HCRC) within 180 days of the discriminatory act under HRS § 368-11. HCRC has a work-share agreement with the EEOC. After investigation or a notice of right-to-sue, you can file in Hawaii Circuit Court.

Race, sex (including gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation), age, religion, color, ancestry, disability, marital status, arrest and court record, credit history (with exceptions), domestic or sexual violence victim status, breastfeeding, and reproductive health decisions. Hawaii has unusually broad arrest/court-record and credit-history protections.

For technology workers, no — HRS § 480-4(d) (2015 reform) prohibits non-competes and non-solicits in the tech industry. For other workers, non-competes are enforceable if reasonable in time, geography, and scope, with a legitimate business interest. Blue-pencil reformation is permitted.

Hawaii's minimum wage is $14.00/hour as of January 1, 2024, with scheduled increases to $16/hour on January 1, 2026 and $18/hour on January 1, 2028.

Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI, HRS § 392) provides up to 26 weeks of partial wage replacement for non-work-related illness or injury (employee-funded). Hawaii Family Leave Law (HFLL, HRS § 398) provides 4 weeks unpaid leave annually. The Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act ensures employer-provided health insurance.

No. HRS § 378-32 prohibits retaliation for filing or attempting to file a workers' comp claim. Remedies include reinstatement, back pay, and other relief.

Not without legal review. HEPA's broad protected-class list and Hawaii's public-policy exception create more claims than most workers realize. ADEA releases (40+) require 21 days to consider and 7-day revocation.