Hawaiʻi is one of 22 states that raised the minimum wage at the start of the new year, according to the Economic Policy Institute.
Hawaiʻi saw the largest pay increase of any state, from $12 to $14. It's part of a multi-year schedule adopted to bring wages up in light of the high cost of living. The state minimum wage will increase to $16 in 2026 and $18 in 2028.
Sheryl Lee, the administrator for the Wage Standards Division with the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, said the department investigates all reports of employers failing to pay minimum wage.
But she said minimum wage complaints are very rare.
"If we find back wages are owed, the employer will just need to pay what we find. If they get cited that there was a minimum wage violation, if the employer does not pay the back wages that we find due, that case will be referred to the Attorney General's office and we will seek double the amount of the back wages that we have found," Lee said.
You can find more information on how to report wage theft at labor.hawaii.gov.
This story aired on The Conversation on Jan. 3, 2024. The Conversation airs weekdays at 11 a.m. on HPR-1.
