State profile — Tier 1

Hawaii

The second state to enact a Domestic Workers Bill of Rights (2013), Hawaii extends overtime protections to live-in domestic workers — going beyond even the federal FLSA framework. With a $16.00/hr minimum wage (2026) and severe healthcare workforce shortages, the state faces unique island-geography challenges for home care delivery.

$16.00
State minimum wage (2026, rising to $18 by 2028)
∼7-8K
Estimated home care workforce
14%
Healthcare vacancy rate (2024)
2nd
State to pass Domestic Workers Bill of Rights
Category 1

The Economic Reality

# Metric Hawaii Status
1.1BLS median hourly wage (SOC 31-1120)∼$17.26/hrEstimated
1.2PHI median hourly wage (all DCW, ACS)TBDGap
1.3Median annual earnings (DCW)TBDGap
1.4MIT living wage (1 adult, 0 children)TBDGap
1.5Wage gap (living wage minus BLS median)TBDGap
1.6State minimum wage (2026)$16.00/hrPublic
1.7Local minimum wage (highest city)N/A (local preemption — uniform statewide rate)Public
1.8Low-income household rate (<200% FPL)TBDGap
1.9Public assistance reliance (state-specific)∼49% (national proxy)Proxy
1.10Housing cost-burdened rateTBDGap
1.11Uninsured rate (DCW)TBDGap
1.12PHI Overall State Index rankingTBDGap
1.13Wage competitiveness vs. similar jobsTBDGap
1.14Genworth median home health aide rateTBDGap
1.15Genworth median NF semi-private rateTBDGap
1.16Family Care capitation PMPM (NH LOC)TBDGap
1.17Blended HCBS avg cost (all acuity)TBDGap
1.18NF private pay monthly avgTBDGap
1.19HCBS-to-NF cost ratio (state-specific)TBDGap
1.20Exemption aggregate savings (national est.)$500-700M/yr (∼0.2% of HCBS)Estimated
1.21Per-worker OT loss (50hr/wk worker)TBDGap
Category 2

The Workforce Crisis

# Metric Hawaii Status
2.1Headline caregiver vacancy rate14% overall healthcare (2024)Public
2.2Open caregiver positionsTBDGap
2.3Available job seekers (entire labor market)TBDGap
2.4Annual turnover rate∼75% (national proxy)Proxy
2.5Individuals denied/delayed servicesTBDGap
2.6Agencies unable to staff all hoursTBDGap
2.7Nursing homes closed since 2016TBDGap
2.8NF beds empty due to staffingTBDGap
2.9Total direct care workers∼7,000-8,000Estimated
2.10New jobs projected (2022–2032)TBDGap
2.11Total openings incl. separations (2022–2032)4,600+ healthcare vacanciesPublic
2.12Population 75+ growth projectionTBDGap
2.13Workforce demographics: % women∼85% (national proxy)Proxy
2.14Workforce demographics: % people of colorTBDGap
2.15Workforce demographics: % immigrantsTBDGap
2.16Health insurance offered by agenciesTBDGap
2.17Family caregivers providing 80%+ of all careTBDGap
2.18Unpaid caregiver hours/economic valueTBDGap
Category 3

Legal & Policy Framework

# Metric Hawaii Status
3.1State companionship/OT exemption statusFull OT protections (DWBOR 2013); live-in workers covered; OT after 40 hrs/wkPublic
3.2State overtime threshold40 hrs/wkPublic
3.3Domestic Workers Bill of RightsYes — SB 535 SD1 (2013, second state after NY)Public
3.4Paid sick leave lawTBDGap
3.5Paid family/medical leaveYes — Hawaii Temporary Disability Insurance (TDI) + Prepaid Health Care ActPublic
3.6Primary self-directed Medicaid programQUEST Integration (1115 waiver)Public
3.7Self-directed program enrollmentTBDGap
3.8Primary managed LTC programManaged care (5 plans under QUEST Integration)Public
3.9Managed LTC enrollmentTBDGap
3.10Combined HCBS enrollmentTBDGap
3.11HCBS share of LTSS spending∼67% (managed LTSS enrollees in HCBS)Estimated
3.12HCBS waiting lists statusTBDGap
3.13Spouses as paid Medicaid caregiversYes (consumer-directed option via I/DD waiver; spouses eligible)Public
3.14Parents of minors as paid caregiversYes (consumer-directed PA1 services)Public
3.15COVID family caregiver relaxations permanent?TBDGap
3.16SDPC maximum wage (self-directed)TBDGap
3.17OT rate cap in self-directed programsTBDGap
3.18IRIS/SDPC weekly hour capTBDGap
3.19Minimum fee schedule for HCBSTBDGap
3.20Wage pass-through requirementTBDGap
3.21MCO contract wage floor provisionsTBDGap
3.22Union representation (home care workers)No dedicated home care bargaining unit identifiedEstimated
Category 4

The Geographic Divide

# Metric Hawaii Status
4.1Travel time/mileage reimbursement mandateTBDGap
4.2Caregiver-to-senior ratio by countyNOT COMPILEDFOIA
4.3Counties with zero/limited home care agenciesNOT COMPILEDFOIA
4.4Rural broadband coverage (for EVV compliance)TBDGap
4.5EVV system & vendorTBDGap
4.6EVV offline/low-connectivity accommodationTBDGap
4.7EVV hard launch date (personal care)TBDGap
4.8Rural vs. urban NF admission ratesNOT COMPILEDFOIA
4.9Rural nursing home closures since 2016TBDGap
4.10Rural HCBS alternatives (adult day, ALF)TBDGap
4.11Projected NF bed shortage (statewide)TBDGap
Category 5

State Medicaid Toolkit & Reform Levers

# Metric Hawaii Status
5.1Medicaid rate-setting authority modelQUEST Integration managed care + I/DD 1915(c) waiverPublic
5.2Minimum fee schedule exists?TBDGap
5.3Fee schedule codified in statute or budget?TBDGap
5.4Wage pass-through % requirementTBDGap
5.5State-level 80/20 compensation rule?No (federal CMS rule faces rescission)Public
5.6MCO contract cycle & next renewalTBDGap
5.7MCO workforce adequacy reporting required?TBDGap
5.8IRIS IBA formula inputs reflect market wages?TBDGap
5.9Premium pay structure for extended hours?No statewide premium payEstimated
5.10State domestic service OT exemption statusNo state companionship exemption (DWBOR 2013)Public
5.11Legislative path to eliminate state OT exemption?N/A — already eliminatedPublic
5.12Federal Medicaid loss projection (10yr)TBDGap
5.13Annual new cost to state taxpayersTBDGap
5.14State-directed payment limit impact (eff. 2028)110% Medicare cap; exact impact TBDPending
5.15Provider tax moratorium statusTBDGap
5.16NF staffing rule moratorium (10yr)Applies (est. 13,000 add'l deaths/yr nationally)Public
5.17Work requirements effective dateDec 31, 2026 (childless adults)Public
Category 6

Federal FLSA & Companionship Exemption Status

# Metric Hawaii Status
6.12013 DOL rule status (as of March 2026)Technically in effect; enforcement suspended July 25, 2025 (FAB 2025-4)Public
6.2Proposed rescission rule published?Yes — July 2, 2025 (90 FR 28976)Public
6.3Final rescission rule published?No (as of March 2026)Monitor
6.4Chevron deference statusEliminated — Loper Bright v. Raimondo (2024)Public
6.5Private litigation still viable?Yes — 2013 rule provisions still invocable by private partiesPublic
6.6DOL estimated annual transfer (2013 RIA).8M (medium scenario, 7% discount)Public
6.7Adjusted current estimate-700M annuallyEstimated
6.8GAO post-implementation findingHour caps, not cost absorption; pay did not increase; workforce declined 11.6%Public
6.9Familial caregiver % in self-directed programs50-78% nationally; CA IHSS >70%Public
6.10Disparate impact demographics85% female; 67% POC; 27% Black; 26% HispanicPublic
6.11CMS 80/20 Access Rule statusFinalized May 2024; faces likely rescission/non-enforcementPublic

Data sourcing

Every metric links to its primary source. Public = publicly available. Derived = calculated from public sources. Proxy = proxy or imprecise. Estimated = estimated value. FOIA = requires FOIA request. Partial = partially available. Gap = data not available. Full methodology and source registry available on the Methodology page.