The state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations and the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunity Commission said Wednesday they are looking at new information concerning the whereabouts of a Honolulu businesswoman accused of shutting down her home health care service last year while still owing millions of dollars in back taxes and thousands in back wages.
The two agencies said earlier they were unable to locate Carolyn de Harne, who also goes by Carolyn Frutoz-de Harne.
De Harne shut down her company, Hawaii Healthcare Professionals Inc. — also known as Hawaii Professional HomeCare Services Inc. — with more than $5 million in unpaid federal and state taxes, according to claims filed with the state Bureau of Conveyances. Former employees have filed complaints with the state, saying they are owed $39,700 in back wages, and last month the EEOC won an age discrimination judgment against Hawaii Healthcare and is attempting to collect $193,236 from de Harne.
The Star-Advertiser reported Wednesday that de Harne registered a trade name for a new business, Oahu Beach Wedding Packages, with the state in November. The company’s website says it coordinates weddings on Waimanalo Beach. The site provides contact information, including a street address and phone number.
"In light of this new information, we will be assessing our options," said Christine Park-Gonzalez, EEOC program analyst.
"We do intend on collecting on this ($193,236) judgment."
The EEOC served de Harne with a default judgment at her last known address, but she "consistently failed to respond," Park-Gonzalez said.
State labor department spokesman Bill Kunstman said, "We’re examining the new information and will make an assessment and proceed appropriately, keeping in mind that the intent of the labor laws is to protect workers from employers who fail to pay wages."
Mindy Murray, a former Hawaii Healthcare employee who says she is owed back wages, said the state labor department didn’t do enough to protect workers.
"I feel they didn’t do their end. They didn’t try too hard to find her. It’s an island. They should be able to find her," Murray said. "I even went to the police department and gave them my checks that weren’t cashable. I’m just as mad with the state. I trusted them to follow through with this … and hold her accountable."
Labor department spokesman Kunstman said, "I understand where these folks (former employees) are coming from. It’s my understanding that we used the sheriffs to serve papers. I know we made efforts to find her."
De Harne telephoned the Star-Advertiser Wednesday and said she is paying her back taxes and her records show all outstanding wages have been paid.
"Those (back taxes) are being resolved," she said, adding she now owes "probably less than $1 million … A big chunk has already been paid. I’m not sure exactly how much. A lot of it just came from Medicare dollars."
As for the EEOC age discrimination case and the $193,236 judgment against her, de Harne said there is no merit to the case.
De Harne also said she has nothing to do with Oahu Beach Wedding Packages. The company is run by her husband, she said.
"The registration was an obvious error of misfiling of names," de Harne said. "I am not affiliated with Oahu Beach Wedding Packages nor do I own or have started a new company. I have nothing to do with it, that’s my husband’s ball game."
However, a state official said otherwise.
"Our records show that payment for the registration was made by Carolyn de Harne," said Tung Chan, chief of the state Department of Commerce & Consumer Affairs Business Registration Division.
In addition, de Harne’s name appears on the wedding website’s testimonials section and links to the site were posted on a Facebook profile that had de Harne’s name and pictures on it as of Tuesday. De Harne said she doesn’t know who the Facebook page belongs to or who posted the photos of her on the page. De Harne’s name was deleted from the Facebook page on Wednesday.
Several testimonials on the Oahu Beach Wedding Packages website praise de Harne for her work as a wedding coordinator. "I called Oahu Beach Wedding Packages to reserve their ‘Intimate’ package only 30 hours before the ceremony. Carolyn did an outstanding job of making our dream wedding come true on such a tight time frame. I’m still in awe at how she did it," said a testimonial signed Monica Kasparek Luxon.
