State of Hawaii Seal
DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS
DAVID Y. IGE
GOVERNOR
SCOTT T. MURAKAMI
DIRECTOR
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
June 17, 2019
STATE AND U.S. DOL SIGN AGREEMENT TO ENHANCE
ENFORCEMENT OF WAGE LAWS
Agreement Focused on Outreach & Education, Investigations and Training
HONOLULU — The Hawaii State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations (DLIR) today announced the signing of a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with the United States Department of Labor’s (U.S. DOL) Wage and Hour Division. Recognizing the value of collaborative relationships to promote compliance with wage and hour laws, the MOU facilitates more effective and efficient communication and cooperation in areas of common interest, including sharing training materials, conducting joint investigations and outreach, and information sharing.
“This partnership agreement allows us to expand and improve the protection of Hawaii’s workforce and enforcement of wage laws,” said Scott Murakami, DLIR Director. “The agreement also strengthens the enforcement of a level playing field for employers while maximizing taxpayer resources.”
The agreement provides for the following:
Outreach and Investigation
The agencies agree to conduct joint outreach presentations, prepare and distribute publications, and jointly disseminate outreach materials to the regulated community.
Enforcement
The agencies may coordinate enforcement activities, conduct joint investigations, and make referrals of potential violations of State and Federal law.
Information
The agencies will establish a methodology for exchanging investigative leads, complaints and referrals of possible violations as well as exchanging statistical data on violations in specific industries and geographic areas.
Training
The agencies agree to cross train investigators and other staff to educate staff members about the laws and regulations enforced by both, exchange information related to policy and regulatory changes, and to maintain dialogue about issues of mutual concern
The U.S. DOL enforces the Federal minimum wage, overtime pay, recordkeeping, and child labor requirements of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The DLIR enforces related Hawaii laws covering minimum wage and overtime, unpaid and timely payment of wages, child labor, and Hawaii Family Leave laws, among others.
(left to right) State of Hawaii DLIR Director Scott Murakami and DOL – Wage Hour Division (WHD) West Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez signing MOU Agreement for their two agencies to work cooperatively
DLIR Director Scott Murakami (left) expressing his support for this MOU Agreement to DOL – WHD West Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez
DOL – WHD West Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez (right) expressing his appreciation of the support from DLIR to work cooperatively to DLIR Director Scott Murakami
(left to right) WHD West Deputy Regional Administrator Richard Longo, DLIR Director Scott Murakami, WHD West Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez, and DLIR Deputy Director Leonard Hoshijo
(left to right) Labor Partners to serve the State of Hawaii: DLIR – Wage Standards Division Compliance Branch Chief Wesley Lum, WHD – Assistant District Director Min Kirk, WHD – District Director Terence Trotter, WHD Western Regional Deputy Administrator Richard Longo, DLIR Director Scott Murakami, WHD – Western Regional Administrator Ruben Rosalez, DLIR Deputy Director Leonard Hoshijo, WHD – Community Outreach Specialist Herbert Lee, and DLIR – Wage Standards Division Administrator Pamela Martin.
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View DLIR news releases:
https://labor.hawaii.gov/blog/category/news/
Media Contact:
Bill Kunstman
Department of Labor and Industrial Relations
(808) 586-8845
[email protected]
https://labor.hawaii.gov
