Bill Text: HI HR31 | 2017 | Regular Session | Introduced

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Bill Title: Requesting A Feasibility Study On Amending The Definition Of "regular Employee" Under The Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act.

Spectrum: Moderate Partisan Bill (Democrat 5-1)

Status: (Introduced - Dead) 2017-03-02 - Referred to LAB, FIN, referral sheet 25 [HR31 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2017-HR31-Introduced.html

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HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES	H.R. NO.	31
TWENTY-NINTH LEGISLATURE, 2017
STATE OF HAWAII

HOUSE RESOLUTION

 

 

rEQUESTING A FEASIBILITY STUDY ON amending THE DEFINITION OF "Regular EMPLOYEE" UNDER the hawaii prepaid health care act.

 

 

 

     WHEREAS, the cost of medical care in case of sudden need may consume all or an excessive part of a person's resources; and

 

     WHEREAS, prepaid health care plans offer a certain measure of protection against such emergencies; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act, enacted on June 12, 1974, was created to:

 

     (1)  Protect employees in the state from the spiraling cost of comprehensive medical care; and

 

     (2)  Improve health care coverage through an employer mandate; and

 

     WHEREAS, the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act defines "regular employee" as a person employed in the employment of any one employer for at least 20 hours per week, but does not include a person employed in seasonal employment; and

 

     WHEREAS, fluctuating business patterns affect many employees in the retail and hospitality sectors; and

 

     WHEREAS, some employees face the possibility of becoming ineligible for employer sponsored health insurance because of slow periods of business despite working an average of 20 hours or more per week based on a four-week period; and

 

     WHEREAS, a supervisor may manipulate employee work schedules and undermine the purpose of the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act by purposefully reducing an employee's hours during one week out of the month so that the employee is ineligible for a prepaid health care plan regardless of whether the employee worked an average of 20 hours or more per week based on a four-week period; and

 

     WHEREAS, amending the definition of "regular employee" to include employees who work an average of 20 hours or more per week based on a four-week period may eliminate the possibility of employees becoming ineligible for health insurance due to:

 

     (1)  Irregular patterns of business outside the control of the employee or employer; and

 

     (2)  Unethical schedule maneuvering by an employee's supervisor; now, therefore,

 

     BE IT RESOLVED by the House of Representatives of the Twenty-ninth Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2017, that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to study the feasibility of amending the definition of "regular employee" under the Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act to mean a person employed in the employment of any one employer for an average of at least 20 hours per week during a four-week period, but does not include a person employed in seasonal employment; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations is requested to report its findings and recommendations to the Legislature no later than 20 days prior to the convening of the Regular Session of 2018; and

 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations.

 

 

 

OFFERED BY:

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Report Title: 

Regular Employee; Definition; Hawaii Prepaid Health Care Act