Interviewing and Selecting Job Candidates: Hawaii

Federal law and guidance on this subject should be reviewed together with this section.

Author: Anna Elento-Sneed, Alston Hunt Floyd & Ing

Summary

• There are a number of inquiries that an employer cannot make until after a job offer has been made. See Preemployment Inquiries.
• Hawaii goes beyond federal law in protecting job applicants and employees from discrimination, and applies to all employers regardless of size. See Hawaii Fair Employment Practices Act.
• Employers must take Hawaii's "Ban the Box" law into account and avoid asking for criminal history information on job application forms. See Application Forms.
• Hawaii employers may no longer ask job applicants about their salary history though they may still discuss a candidate's salary expectations. See Salary History Inquiry.
• State law prevents employers from requiring prospective employees to submit to a lie detector test as part of the interview and selection process. See Unlawful Practices.
• Hawaii provides a qualified immunity defense for employers that provide job references in good faith. See Reference Checks.