Maui, Police Union Agree On Covid Hazard Back Pay. What Does It Mean For Honolulu?
Honolulu has a much larger police force, and the city might have to put up considerably more than the $13 million that Maui agreed to pay.
Maui County has finalized its settlement with the statewide police union over how much officers are owed for hazard pay since the start of the coronavirus pandemic, and the agreement could have dire implications for the Honolulu city budget.
The State of Hawaii Organization Of Police Officers announced Monday it over hazard pay the union said officers were owed for their work during the pandemic. Maui officials the deal will cost the county $13 million.
But Honolulu is still in arbitration with SHOPO and the United Public Workers union over hazard pay, and the issue could cost the capital considerably more than Maui because of the city’s much larger workforce.
Honolulu Managing Director Mike Formby said Monday he cannot discuss hazard pay because the city is still in arbitration, except to say that Maui County’s agreements with SHOPO and UPW are worrisome because of the fiscal implications for the city.
“Early settlements on Maui set a financial expectation (among the unions) in the City and County of Honolulu that are financially concerning,” Formby said.
SHOPO’s agreement with Maui calls for officers who worked in patrol during the pandemic to receive 20% hazard pay based on the hours they were actually on the job during the two years that state emergency proclamations were in effect, from March 4, 2020 to March 25, 2022.
Time used by officers for vacation, sick days or any other leave is not eligible for hazard pay, and all other officers handling non-patrol duties will receive 15% hazard pay, according to SHOPO.
鈥淲e believe the agreement honors the risks taken by Maui鈥檚 police officers who worked through the pandemic, putting their health and the health of their families at risk so they could serve our community,鈥 Nicholas Krau, chairman of the SHOPO Maui County Chapter, said in a statement from the union.
All four counties initially denied claims by SHOPO seeking the hazard pay. The police union is now in various stages of the grievance process in Honolulu, Hawaii and Kauai counties over the issue.
SHOPO President Robert Cavaco said the union 鈥渃ommends Maui County for being the first county to step forward and recognize the sacrifices and professionalism of Hawaii鈥檚 police officers throughout the pandemic.鈥
鈥淲e are hopeful the other three counties follow Maui鈥檚 lead and work with us in resolving the Hazard Pay issue for the rest of our officers,鈥 Cavaco said in a statement.
Maui County has already settled a similar grievance by UPW over hazard pay, and county officials said last month that agreement would cost the county $8.89 million.
The Hawaii Government Employees Association, the state’s largest union, also won more than $18 million in hazard pay for its members in a separate arbitration proceeding with Maui County.
And last month HGEA won hazard pay for up to 7,800 school officials in a similar arbitration with the state Department of Education.
The union estimated that arbitration decision may require the state to come up with $150 million in back pay for DOE employees other than teachers. Teachers do not have a hazard pay provision in their union contract.
Hawaii County Managing Director Deanna Sako has estimated the total cost of back hazard pay for all of the covered union workers on the Big Island could be as much as $50 million. Much of that money would likely go to police, she said.
The City and County of Honolulu moved to set aside $80 million last month to fund hazard pay claims by the various public worker unions, but Formby told the City Council he does not know if that amount will cover the entire hazard pay cost for all of the unions.
“The City and County of Honolulu is currently talking to the public sector unions regarding a fair distribution of hazard pay to City essential workers in light of existing arbitration awards, current arbitration proceedings, settlements in other state and county bargaining units, mitigation measures taken by the City and County, and our City鈥檚 financial capacity,鈥 Formby said Monday in a separate statement.
Honolulu has 2,200 uniformed officer positions, although 400 of those positions are currently vacant. Maui has about 400 sworn officers, with nearly a quarter of those unfilled.
Read the Maui Settlement Agreement here:
