The House Committee on Finance
Wednesday, February 22, 2017
3:00 pm, Room 308

Attention: Chair Sylvia Luke, Vice Chair Ty Cullen and Members of the Committee

The University of Hawaii Professional Assembly (UHPA) urges the committee to support passage of HB 213, HD1 that amends the Hawaii Family Leave Law, Chapter 398 of the Hawai‘i Revised Statutes to extend protected job status to care for a sibling or upon the death of a child, spouse, reciprocal beneficiary, sibling or parent.

UHPA has a very diverse bargaining unit with faculty in very different stages of their careers.  Leaves of absences, such as family leave, impact a broad based section of our membership, and is no longer a focus of the younger segment of our members who are having children.  Many faculty are dealing with caring for their spouses or parents.  Passage of this legislation will provide some much needed security for UHPA members that does not exist today.     

Faculty members are highly sought after in the highly competitive arena of higher education.  Passage of this measure will provide the necessary stability and security for our membership.

UHPA supports the passage of HB 213, HD1.

Respectfully submitted,

Kristeen Hanselman
Executive Director