HGEA finalizes $41 million hazard pay settlement
Honolulu Mayor Rick Blan giardi's administration has finalized a multimillion-dollar settlement with the Hawaii Government Employees Association involving dangerous COVID-19-era work.
To that end the City Council voted unanimously May 14 to authorize the city's request to settle approximately $41.4 million in claims for temporary hazard pay for HGEA's affected employees and members for essential government services performed during the pandemic.
HGEA—the state's largest public-sector union, representing nine bargaining units within the city and county alone, including Ocean Safety Department lifeguards—will see its THP payout cover the period from March 5, 2020, to March 5, 2022.
The mayor's office confirmed that the terms of the agreement include $15, 000 payments for those HGEA employees who filed hazard pay claims on or before March 18, 2022, and $7, 500 payments for those employees who did not file claims.
'HGEA members provided core services to the public during the COVID-19 pandemic, as did members from other unions across the city's workforce, ' Ian Scheuring, the mayor's deputy communications director, told the Honolulu Star-Advertiser. 'As essential workers, and pursuant to their collective bargaining agreement, HGEA members have certain rights to hazard pay.'
'We appreciate the patience of our HGEA employees while the details of the settlement agreement were being finalized, and we appreciate the services that they provided the public during the pandemic, ' he added.
HGEA, the last of three major government employee unions on Oahu to receive THP moneys, declined to comment on the settlement.
In March the Council voted to authorize and resolve THP claims for affected employees and members of the State of Hawaii Organization of Police Officers and United Public Workers of Hawaii who worked during the pandemic.
Claims for both unions—estimated to cost the city roughly $76 million—covered the period March 5, 2020, through March 5, 2022, the city said.
City officials had set aside about $115 million to settle hazard pay claims and grievances arising from the pandemic.
Previously, city Managing Director Mike Formby told the Star-Advertiser the city would consider 'temporary hazard pay for the city firefighters and employees of Oahu Transit Services—TheBus and TheHandi-Van.'
He noted those payments will require 'THP appropriations ' in the city's fiscal year 2026 budget, which is under Council consideration for possible approval by June.
This week Scheuring said 'that in the interest of fairness for all of our city employees who worked during the pandemic that we are going to try to work out settlements with the firefighters and our transit operators.'
'So that is still very much on the table, ' he added. 'Now that we've gotten the hazard pay agreements done with the unions for whom it was contractually obligated, our attention will turn to THP agreements with those other unions.'
However, Scheuring explained, 'That entire process is still pending.'
The Council's latest vote comes after both the city administration and Council pledged to repay eligible, unionized city workers employed during the pandemic THP in order to avoid legal entanglements.
Hawaii's government worker unions, including HGEA, UPW and SHOPO, pressured the state and its four major counties to pay back their respective memberships for pandemic-era work.
In 2024, UPW Local 646—among other city unions—worked to gain COVID-19-related hazard pay from the city for its membership via arbitration.
On July 30, arbitrator and former Hawaii Supreme Court Justice Simeon R. Acoba Jr. issued a decision on UPW's hazard pay grievance against the city.
According to UPW documents filed in August with the 1st Circuit Court, the union will receive a hazard pay differential of 15 % for the designated two-year period.
Originally, UPW sought a 25 % pay differential based on individual workers' minimum pay grades, UPW spokesperson Maleko McDonnell previously told the Star-Advertiser.
And with nearly 37, 000 members statewide, HGEA received a THP settlement for nearly 1, 300 former and current Hawaii County employees in March.
The union's Big Island workers were granted a 15 % hazard pay differential for work performed during the same two-year time frame, a union news release asserts.
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Artists who got almost $1,500 a month under a basic income pilot say their work improved
Ireland's basic income pilot program for the arts ends in August. For three years, 2,000 artists and creative arts workers received about $370 a week. Recipients said the stipend overall improved their daily lives. For about 2,000 artists and creative arts workers in Ireland, a weekly stipend provided through a basic income program has been a lifeline for years. Now, it's almost over. The pilot program began in 2022 under Catherine Martin, Ireland's former minister for tourism and culture. Martin allocated about $28 million to the arts sector following the COVID-19 pandemic. Participants were randomly chosen and given an unconditional stipend of €325, or about $370, weekly for three years. During that time, participants met periodically via Zoom to discuss how the additional income had affected their livelihoods, careers, and ability to meet basic needs. The final session was held this month before the program's conclusion in August. Artists and cultural workers who attended the session grappled with what their lives would look like after August, but they hoped government officials would extend the program. "We need no further pilots. People need a UBI now to face and deal with the many social, economic, and ecological crises of our world," Reinhard Huss, the organizer of UBI Lab Leeds, which sponsored the event alongside Basic Income Ireland, UBI Lab Arts, and UBI Lab Network, told Business Insider. New developments in AI are reshaping the job market, replacing some entry-level positions. Tech industry leaders like Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have said implementing a universal basic income will be essential in the near future when AI supplants jobs in most industries. A universal basic income offers an entire population recurring, unconditional payments regardless of an individual's socioeconomic status. Ireland's program, like many others in the United States, is a guaranteed basic income, which targets certain segments of the population for a set period of time. Jenny Dagg, a sociologist lecturing at Ireland's Maynooth University, authored a new report that provides insights into participants' reactions to the program. She gathered data from over 50 of the 2,000 recipients. Although the report outlined nearly a dozen key impacts reported by program recipients, Dagg highlighted five major takeaways during the Zoom session. Dagg said that recipients who received money from the program reported more stability and "significantly reduced" financial stress. It relieved their anxiety about fulfilling their basic needs. Participating in the pilot program also allowed artists to re-prioritize how they spend their time and what they choose to focus on. "The opportunity to focus more on their specific creative interests opened new possibilities and career trajectories," the report said. Artists said the added income allowed them to spend more time "researching, experimenting, taking risks, and failing," which has improved the quality of their work. Artists, the report said, also felt more confident in themselves and their work during the program. "Many recipients talk of feeling empowered, of being in control of the choices within their lives, and envisioning a viable career path longer-term," the report said. Recipients even reported better mental health, which led to improved sleep quality and lowered stress levels. With the end of the program fast approaching, recipients of the weekly payment are reckoning with what how their lives might change. "Across art forms, recipients report concerns about financial stability and sustaining the momentum of their careers when, or if, the basic income scheme ends," Dagg's report said. This month, Basic Income Ireland called on the government to immediately implement a universal and unconditional basic income for the country. A spokesperson for the UBI Lab Network said the pilot program's success shows that basic income is a viable option. The campaign group shared a proposal for introducing a universal basic income to Ireland. "As the pilot shows, basic income works and people need a UBI now to face and deal with the many social, economic, and ecological crises of our world. The Network will continue to help demonstrate basic income within communities and show how it is a sustainable policy," the statement said. Patrick O'Donovan, Ireland's minister for arts and culture, said he would evaluate the data collected throughout the pilot program and create proposals for the government regarding the next steps. "I am heartened by the responses of the Basic Income recipients in this paper," O'Donovan said in the May report. "This research will add to the evaluation being conducted by my department, which to date clearly shows that the Basic Income Pilot has been an effective support for the artists in receipt of it." Read the original article on Business Insider
Yahoo
6 hours ago
- Yahoo
Hispanic Heritage Council receives $7M for construction of cultural institute
BUFFALO, N.Y. (WIVB) — The Hispanic Heritage Council of Western New York will receive $7 million from New York State to complete the construction of its cultural institute on Buffalo's West Side, Gov. Kathy Hochul announced Sunday. The council's plans for the multi-use 37,000-square-foot facility on the corner of Niagara and Hudson Streets was first announced in 2019, but it has since faced delays due to COVID-19. Hochul described the investment as a 'gap-filling' initiative for phase two of the institute, which will serve as a hub for Hispanic history, arts and community. The $30 million facility broke ground in September 2023 at the beginning of Hispanic Heritage Month. The council plans for the institute to house a museum, 150-seat performing arts theater, event spaces, cafe, media center and learning labs. 'We are deeply grateful to Governor Hochul for her unwavering support of the Hispanic Heritage Cultural Institute. This historic investment is not just a milestone for the Buffalo Hispanic community — it's a gift to all of Western New York,' said Casimiro Rodriguez, the council's president and founder. 'As the first of its kind, this institute will serve as a vibrant hub for arts, culture, education, and heritage, drawing visitors from near and far, including our Canadian neighbors. It will enrich our region's cultural landscape and strengthen our identity as a welcoming and diverse community. The future is bright, and we are filled with hope and gratitude as we take this giant step forward together.' Hochul said the previous announcement in 2023 of a $5 million grant, along with additional funding, will continue to help with the completion of the project's second phase and grand opening. 'New Yorkers of Puerto Rican heritage have been an integral part of our state's cultural fabric for generations,' Hochul said. 'We are honored to make bold investments that will empower organizations to expand and thrive, ensuring that the vibrant presence of Puerto Rican culture in New York State remains a cherished aspect of our state's identity.' The council also received $1 million in federal funding in August 2023 for construction. Katie Skoog joined the News 4 team in April 2024. She is a graduate from the University at Buffalo. You can view more of her work here. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
A New Social Security Garnishment Is Set to Begin This Summer -- but There Are 2 Legal Ways Most Retirees Can Avoid It
Getting as much as possible out of Social Security isn't a luxury for most retirees -- it's an absolute necessity. This summer, the Trump administration will begin garnishing up to 15% of Social Security benefits for delinquent federal student loan borrowers. Two perfectly legal solutions exist that may allow a majority of tardy federal student loan borrowers to avoid having their Social Security checks garnished. The $23,760 Social Security bonus most retirees completely overlook › For most retirees, Social Security isn't just income that's deposited into their checking or savings account on a monthly basis. It represents a financial lifeline that many would likely struggle to make do without. In 2023, Social Security was responsible for lifting 22 million people above the federal poverty line, some 16.3 million of whom were adults aged 65 and above. Meanwhile, 23 years of annual surveys from national pollster Gallup find that up to 90% of retirees require their monthly benefit, to some degree, to make ends meet. Getting as much out of Social Security isn't a luxury -- it's often a necessity. But beginning sometime this summer, select retirees can expect their Social Security checks to shrink by up to 15%. For some of these beneficiaries, it's income they simply can't afford to lose. For well over six decades, the federal government has played a role in subsidizing and guaranteeing student loans. As of April 2025, the U.S. Department of Education (DOE) notes that 42.7 million Americans had a cumulative $1.6 trillion in federal student loans outstanding. However, the collection of federal student loan repayments was halted during the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic (March 2020) and was simply never lifted. According to the DOE, more than 5 million borrowers haven't made a payment in 360 days, and another 4 million are between 91 and 180 days late on their monthly payments. While higher education student loans may sound like something that affects relatively younger Americans, they've become a prominent issue for retirees. Whereas the aggregate number of student loan borrowers under the age of 62 has declined by 1% from 2017 to 2023, the number of student loan borrowers aged 62 and above has surged 59% to approximately 2.7 million over the same period, based on data from the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB). Per the CFPB, an estimated 452,000 of these senior borrowers have defaulted on their federal student loans and are likely receiving Social Security benefits. Since President Donald Trump took office in January, his administration has targeted perceived government fraud and is aiming to make federal operations more efficient. One of the many changes under Trump, vis-à-vis the Social Security Administration (SSA), is the reimplementation of Social Security garnishments for delinquent federal student loan borrowers. Beginning "sometime this summer," per Trump's administration, tardy borrowers receiving a Social Security benefit -- this applies to all types of beneficiaries (retired workers, survivors of deceased workers, and workers with disabilities) -- could see their payouts garnished by up to 15%. The one caveat to this garnishment is that recipients must be left with at least a $750 monthly Social Security benefit. Thus, if your normal payout is $825 per month, the maximum garnishment would be $75 per month instead of the flat 15%. Additionally, the Trump administration isn't planning to offer delinquent federal student loan borrowers a 65-day warning prior to potential garnishment, as has been customary in the past. Rather, communications sent out provide just 30 days' notice that garnishments are possible if borrowers are still in default. According to the CFPB, 37% of the Social Security beneficiaries who have a federal student loan outstanding (delinquent or not) currently rely on their monthly check from America's leading retirement program for 90% (or more) of their income. Even a 15% garnishment for defaulted borrowers in this category has the potential to be financially devastating. It goes without saying that the easiest way to avoid this new garnishment by the Trump administration is to not be in default on your federal student loan(s). But for the roughly 452,000 Social Security retirees set to be impacted by this change in policy, there are two under-the-radar yet perfectly legal solutions that should allow a majority to avoid having their payouts garnished. To begin with, some of these defaulted borrowers may qualify for the Total and Permanent Disability (TPD) discharge program, which cancels federal student loans and stops forced collections. As the CFPB pointed out in a January research report, the DOE entered into a data-matching agreement with the SSA in 2021 to automate the TPD eligibility and federal student loan cancellation processes for beneficiaries who become disabled prior to reaching full retirement age (currently age 67 for anyone born in or after 1960). However, this TPD application process is failing Social Security beneficiaries who become permanently disabled after they reach full retirement age. The CFPB notes that the onus of applying for a TPD discharge of their federal student loans and/or garnishment falls onto aged beneficiaries. Census survey data shows that approximately 22% of Social Security recipients with federal student loans report having a permanent disability, per the CFPB's report. Social Security retirees currently in default on their federal student loan(s) can also potentially avoid having their monthly check garnished by applying for a financial hardship with the DOE. Defaulted borrowers will be required to provide documentation of their income and qualifying expenses to the DOE. If an individual's qualifying expenses are larger than their documented income -- especially pertaining to a possible 15% garnishment of their Social Security payout -- the DOE will likely grant a financial hardship exemption. Based on data from the Federal Reserve Board's Survey of Household Economics and Decisionmaking, the CFPB estimates that a whopping 82% of Social Security beneficiaries currently in default on their federal student loans would qualify for the hardship exemption -- in other words, their qualified expenses would exceed their documented income. Yet, a 2015 Government Accountability Office report found that fewer than 10% of Social Security recipients with forced federal student loan collections applied for a hardship exemption. If delinquent borrowers were to simply apply for this financial hardship with the DOE, a majority would likely be granted it. If you're like most Americans, you're a few years (or more) behind on your retirement savings. But a handful of little-known could help ensure a boost in your retirement income. One easy trick could pay you as much as $23,760 more... each year! Once you learn how to maximize your Social Security benefits, we think you could retire confidently with the peace of mind we're all after. Join Stock Advisor to learn more about these Motley Fool has a disclosure policy. A New Social Security Garnishment Is Set to Begin This Summer -- but There Are 2 Legal Ways Most Retirees Can Avoid It was originally published by The Motley Fool Error in retrieving data Sign in to access your portfolio Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data Error in retrieving data
