What Services Does Hawaii DLIR Provide for Employers?

Updated

The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR) offers employers four main service areas through labor.hawaii.gov: unemployment insurance administration, workforce services and hiring support, labor law compliance resources, and wage-related obligations. The site organizes these under "Unemployment Insurance," "Labor Services," and "Employment Services" headings. Below is what each covers and where to find it.

Employer Unemployment Insurance Services

DLIR administers Hawaii's unemployment insurance program, and employers interact with it in two ways: paying contributions and responding to claims filed by former workers.

The site lists "Employer Unemployment Insurance Services" as a dedicated entry point. For the quickest assistance, DLIR directs inquiries to its contact form at https://labor.hawaii.gov/ui/contact-form or its Unemployment Insurance Call Center at (808) 762-5752 or (833) 901-2272.

Employers can also use HUI Claims, described on the site as the "Online Unemployment Insurance Portal," for online UI transactions. If a determination goes against you, the site lists "Unemployment Insurance Appeals" as a separate service.

Employer Workforce Services and Hiring Support

DLIR's Employment Services section covers tools for finding and training workers:

  • HireNet Hawaii — the state's job matching platform, connecting employers with job seekers.
  • Hele Imua Internship Program — an internship initiative listed under employment services.
  • Consultation & Training (HIOSH) — safety and health consultation and training for employers, separate from enforcement.
  • Employer Workforce Services — the general entry point for employer-facing workforce programs.
  • Veteran Services — assistance related to hiring veterans.

If your goal is posting openings or finding candidates, HireNet Hawaii is the primary destination. If your goal is workplace safety training rather than compliance action, the HIOSH consultation and training service is the relevant one.

Labor Law Compliance Resources

The site lists Labor Law Posters as a resource — the required workplace notices employers must display. This is the starting point for confirming which posters apply to your workplace and obtaining them.

Other compliance-related services listed include:

Service Relevance to employers
Wage Complaints & Minors Work Permits Wage standards and child labor permitting
Occupational Safety & Health Workplace safety enforcement and standards
Civil Rights/Discrimination Discrimination complaint handling
Unemployment Insurance Appeals Challenging UI determinations

Wage Rate Schedules and Prevailing Wages

DLIR publishes a Prevailing Wages – Wage Rate Schedule, listed under "Other Services." This matters if you work on public construction or covered government contracts, where prevailing wage requirements typically apply. The schedule is the reference document for the applicable rates.

Note that the site lists the schedule as a resource but does not, in the material available here, spell out which projects trigger prevailing wage obligations. Confirm applicability for your specific contract rather than assuming coverage.

Where to Start

  • UI contributions or claims: Employer Unemployment Insurance Services, or the contact form and call center numbers above.
  • Hiring: HireNet Hawaii and Employer Workforce Services.
  • Required workplace notices: Labor Law Posters.
  • Public works wage rates: Prevailing Wages – Wage Rate Schedule.
  • Safety training (not enforcement): HIOSH Consultation & Training.

The site's own guidance for UI matters is to submit inquiries through the contact form first, since that routes requests faster than other channels.