Gov. Josh Green’s offer of 2 extra days off confuses Hawaii teachers

While Gov. Josh Green has gifted state employees with two extra days of paid time off work for the holidays, Hawaii’s 12,600 public school teachers are still unsure how they’ll benefit since contractually they are already on vacation during the schools’ winter break.

As of Tuesday night it was still unclear whether the teachers would receive credit for the two bonus days or be allowed to take the two days off at another time. A spokesperson for the governor’s office deferred to the state Department of Education. A spokesperson for DOE, and Osa Tui Jr., president of the Hawaii State Teachers Association, both said no resolution had yet been reached.

Green announced Dec. 9 in an internal executive memorandum to department heads and in an email to staff that all full-time salaried state employees will receive 16 hours of special administrative leave.

“In recognition of the loyal and faithful service of our public employees and in keeping with the holiday season, I am authorizing department heads to grant all salaried employees sixteen (16) hours administrative leave,” Green said in the memo. “Employees who can be spared from their duties shall be allowed a full day of administrative leave on December 23 and December 30, 2022.”

As a result, thousands of state workers whose brief absence won’t disrupt necessary government functions will enjoy four-day weekends surrounding Christmas and New Year’s Day.

Employees who must work Friday or Dec. 30, or already have paid time off on those days, will not be entitled to overtime, but will be given an alternate two days off up to Feb. 28, Green said in the memo.

Following Green’s announcement, state schools Superintendent Keith Haya­shi included similar information in a memo to DOE deputy superintendents, assistant superintendents, complex-area superintendents and all principals.

Still, how teachers would benefit when their collective bargaining agreement already marks this time of year as vacation is still uncertain enough that the union representing them has announced that it is requesting clarification. Winter break for the DOE this year stretches from Dec. 19 to Jan. 2, with teachers returning Jan. 3 and students, Jan. 4.

“All Bargaining Unit 05 members are salaried employees and therefore eligible for the additional administrative leave granted by the governor. However, Dec. 23 and 30 fall during winter break, which are already designated and scheduled as vacation days under HSTA’s contract,” reads a statement posted on the union’s website.

“Both memos stated that all state salaried employees who are on vacation or sick leave on those days will be charged administrative leave instead. Therefore, HSTA has requested that the superintendent clarify if teachers need to reschedule an administrative leave day or receive credit for the vacation day.”

In an email response to a Honolulu Star-Advertiser request for comment, Tui wrote, “We are still working to resolve the issue with the department and the governor.”