Starting July 1, 2026, qualified workers in Hawaii can take up to four weeks of unpaid leave when a child, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent or grandparents is affected by a military-related matter. (Gabrielle Joyner/U.S. Navy)
Hawaii workers whose relatives are deployed or called to active duty may qualify for up to four weeks of unpaid leave beginning July 1 under a new state law aimed at supporting military families.
Gov. Josh Green signed legislation last month expanding Hawaii’s family leave law, which already allows eligible workers to take unpaid leave for events such as the birth of a child or caring for a seriously ill family member.
Under the expansion, workers may also take unpaid leave when a child, spouse, domestic partner, sibling, parent or grandparents is affected by a military-related exigency.
Qualified workers are guaranteed the right to return to their jobs.
“The expansion of Hawaiʻi’s family leave law ensures that workers can respond to urgent situations related to active duty military service without jeopardizing their employment,” Jade Butay, director of the Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, said in a news release Thursday.
“This amendment recognizes the unique challenges faced by families of service members and reinforces Hawaiʻi’s commitment to supporting military families,” she said.
The law applies only to employers with 100 or more workers, who must have held their positions for at least six months to qualify.
The scope of military exigencies covered under the new law mirrors those laid out in the federal Family and Medical Leave Act, according to the Hawaii Employers Council’s website.
“Common examples of military exigencies are arranging for alternative childcare, attending military events, or obtaining support to prepare for a family member’s active-duty deployment to a foreign country,” the website states.
It is unclear how many Hawaii workers could be affected by the change.
At the end of 2025, the state was home to 16,082 military spouses, according to the Defense Department’s Military One Source website. Another 5,321 spouses of National Guard and Reserve members also lived in the state.
