Survey finds overwhelming support for paid family and medical leave in Hawai‘i

A recent statewide survey confirms that a vast majority of Hawai‘i residents support the implementation of paid family and medical leave and are even willing to pay their fair share to have this benefit.

The survey, conducted by the Honolulu-based market research firm Anthology/FINN Partners and commissioned by the nonprofit advocacy group HCAN Speaks!, reveals that 90 percent of Hawai‘i residents are in favor of the program, with particularly strong support among residents of the neighbor islands and adults aged 18 to 49.

The primary reason respondents supported paid family and medical leave was that it “would allow workers to care for themselves or their loved ones without the economic and mental stress of losing their jobs or falling into poverty.”

The topic has been studied, debated, deliberated over and analyzed for nearly eight years in Hawai‘i.

In 2017, the Hawai‘i State Commission on the Status of Women received a US Department of Labor grant to analyze how such a program could work in the state. This study included an economic analysis, eligibility and benefit modeling, and a poll conducted by Anthology/FINN Partners. In 2019, the Legislative Reference Bureau conducted a further analysis, reviewing the impacts of the program on various stakeholders, including businesses and employees, and provided cost breakdowns and compliance options. A 2024 study by Vanderbilt University found that a minimum wage worker would pay less than $2 per week into the system (assuming their employer matched that amount) and receive $504 in weekly benefits, while an average wage worker would pay about $4 per week and receive $930 per week in benefits.

“How much longer do we need to study this issue?” asked Deborah Zysman, executive director of Hawai‘i Children’s Action Network and HCAN Speaks! “It’s a benefit that was adopted by California 20 years ago, and since then 12 other states and the District of Columbia have made this a benefit for their residents. We can do the same for Hawai‘i residents.”

The push for paid family and medical leave is gaining momentum in the current legislative session. Bills HB755 and SB852, which aim to implement the program in Hawai‘i, are moving through the legislative process. HB755 has already been heard by the House Committee on Labor and the House Committee on Consumer Protection and Commerce, while SB852 has yet to be scheduled for a hearing.

While the program would require a payroll deduction of 0.7% of wages, the cost would be shared between employers and employees. In comparison, Hawai‘i employers typically pay about 0.5% of wages for the limited benefits of Temporary Disability Insurance. Zysman says employers would no longer need to pay TDI premiums, and they would not need to pay their employees while they were on leave, because they would be paid from the state fund.

According to Zysman, paid family and medical leave would allow workers to balance their personal and professional lives without the stress of financial instability, leading to a stronger local workforce and a more robust economy.

Anthology/FINN Partners conducted the most recent online survey, compiling and analyzing data from 440 full-time residents across the state collected Nov. 18 to 30, 2024. The margin of error for the overall sample is +/- 4.67% at the 95 percent level of confidence.

The survey results also reveal that many Hawai‘i residents have faced challenges when caring for family members, with two-thirds (63 percent) having taken time off to care for a newborn or sick family member. However, 30 percent of respondents reported having to take unpaid leave or quit their jobs altogether to care for a loved one, and only 32 percent of employed individuals said their employer offers paid family and medical leave.

“No one should have to choose between family and work,” Zysman said. “Many factors contribute to chronic job vacancies and staffing shortages that impede organizations from reaching their optimal level of service. We have viable solutions to implement paid family and medical leave to recruit and retain employees. When employers share the cost of this benefit with employees, everyone wins. People can stay in Hawai‘i and enjoy a better quality of life, and we can have a more robust local workforce that contributes to Hawai‘i’s tax base to lift up our entire state.”