RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.

Education Labor

Active

The official status still shows this bill as active or still awaiting another formal step.

Sponsor: GARCIA, ALCOS, WARD
Last action: 2025-12-08
Official status: Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
Effective date: Not listed

Plain English Breakdown

Checked against official source text during the last sync.

Public Employment; COVID-19 Vaccination Policies

This bill requires state agencies to offer former employees who resigned or were dismissed due to non-compliance with COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements the option to be reinstated in their previous position, including back pay.

What This Bill Does

Requires state agencies to give former employees a chance to get their old jobs back if they left because of rules about getting vaccinated against COVID-19 or being tested for it.
If someone's job is not available anymore, the agency must offer them another similar job with the same pay and benefits.
The bill also says that these people should receive back pay from when they lost their jobs until now.

Who It Names or Affects

Former employees who left or were fired because of non-compliance with COVID-19 vaccination or testing requirements.
State agencies in Hawaii, including those in the executive, legislative, and judicial branches.

Terms To Know

COVID-19: The coronavirus disease that started spreading worldwide in late 2019.
State agency: Any organization within the government of Hawaii, including departments and offices like education or health.

Limits and Unknowns

It is not clear how many people will be affected by this bill.
The bill does not specify what happens if a reinstated employee does not comply with future vaccination requirements.

Bill History

2025-12-08 D
Carried over to 2026 Regular Session.
2025-01-27 H
Referred to LAB, JHA, FIN, referral sheet 4
2025-01-23 H
Introduced and Pass First Reading.
2025-01-22 H
Pending introduction.

Official Summary Text

RELATING TO PUBLIC EMPLOYMENT.
Public Employment; Employees; COVID-19; Vaccination Policies; Emergency Proclamation; Reinstatement
Requires state agencies to offer individuals who resigned or were dismissed from employment for not complying with vaccination or testing requirements the option to be reinstated, with back pay, to the position that person held prior to their termination.

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

HB1241

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES

H.B. NO.

1241

THIRTY-THIRD LEGISLATURE, 2025

STATE OF HAWAII

A BILL FOR AN ACT

relating
to public employment
.

BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

����
SECTION
1.
�
(a)
�

Notwithstanding any law to the contrary, no later than ninety days after
the effective date of this Act, every state agency shall offer a former
employee who resigned or was dismissed from employment with a state agency:

����
(1)
�
While any
proclamation, order, or policy was in effect that required, as a condition of
continuing employment, vaccination against COVID-19 or regular testing for the
presence of the SARS-CoV-2 virus as an alternative to vaccination
; and

����
(2)
�
Solely because
the
person did not comply or did not wish to comply with the terms of the
proclamation, order, or policy described in paragraph (1)
,

the option to be reinstated, with back pay, to the
position that the former employee held prior to the former employee's
termination.

����
(b)
�
If the former employee's former position is
not available, the state agency shall offer the former employee:

����
(1)
�
Employment in an available equivalent position
with equivalent employment benefits, pay, and other terms and conditions of
employment; and

����
(2)
�
Back pay based upon the position the former
employee held prior to the former employee's termination.

����
(c)
�
As used in this section:

����
"COVID-19"
means the coronavirus disease 2019.

����
"State
agency" means any state agency within the executive, legislative, or
judicial branch or the office of Hawaiian affairs, including the department of
education and the university of Hawaii.

����
SECTION 2.
�
This Act shall take effect upon its approval.

INTRODUCED BY:

_____________________________

Report Title:

Public Employment; Employees; COVID-19; Vaccination Policies;
Emergency Proclamatio
n;
Reinstatement

Description:

Requires
state agencies to offer individuals who resigned or were dismissed from
employment for not complying with vaccination or testing requirements
the
option to be reinstated, with back pay, to the position that person held prior
to their termination
.

The summary description
of legislation appearing on this page is for informational purposes only and is
not legislation or evidence of legislative intent.