2016 Hawaii Minimum Wage
The 2016 Hawaii Minimum Wage is $8.50.
Effective 2016-01-01Source: Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)Verified 2026-09-01
Who it applies to
Employees covered by the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law (Chapter 387, Hawaii Revised Statutes). The state minimum wage applies when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal Fair Labor Standards Act.
What changed this year, and why
Hawaii's state minimum wage was set at $8.50 per hour for the calendar year 2016, effective January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
Common questions
- What was the minimum wage in Hawaii in 2016?
- The minimum wage in Hawaii was $8.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016.
Minors, students and training wages: who may be paid less than the rate on this page
The 2016 Hawaii minimum wage poster provided by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations does not describe any subminimum wage category for minors, students, or workers in training. The only reduced rate listed is the tip credit, which allows employers to pay tipped employees up to 75 cents less per hour than the standard $8.50 minimum, provided their combined wages and tips meet the law's threshold. Hawaii's Wage and Hour Law (Chapter 387, Hawaii Revised Statutes) may contain training or youth wage provisions elsewhere, but this notice does not identify them. Employers in Hawaii who believe a subminimum rate applies to a young or student worker should consult the Wage Standards Division directly rather than rely on this poster.
TIP CREDIT - Under certain conditions, "tipped employees" may be paid up to twenty-five cents less per hour; effective January 1, 2015, up to 50 cents less per hour; and effective January 1, 2016, up to 75 cents less per hour (if wages + tips equal $7 more per hour than minimum wage rate). See Section 387-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
Who to ask about this rate, and where to take a wage complaint
Employees in Hawaii who have questions about minimum wage rates or believe they have been underpaid should contact the nearest Department of Labor office. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations maintains offices across the state, including locations on Oahu, Kauai, Maui, and Hawaii Island. The Department has enforcement authority under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law and may recover back wages for employees who have been underpaid, either through administrative action or through court action. Workers do not need to wait for the Department to initiate an investigation - they can proactively reach out to report wage violations or seek information about their rights. The Department's website at www.hawaii.gov/labor also provides resources and information about wage standards. Employers are required to post notices about minimum wage rates in places accessible to their employees.
ENFORCEMENT: The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations may recover back wages, either administratively or through court action, for employees who have been underpaid. FOR MORE INFORMATION contact the nearest Department of Labor office:
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
State minimum wage laws that give more than the federal rate
When both Hawaii state law and federal law apply to an employee's work, the higher standard governs. The minimum wage under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law applies to employment covered by the federal Fair Labor Standards Act when Hawaii's standards exceed the federal requirements. This means that workers in Hawaii are entitled to the state's minimum wage of $8.50 per hour in 2016, even if the federal rate is lower. The principle ensures that employees receive the greatest protection available from either level of government. Employers operating in Hawaii must comply with whichever standard provides the better benefit to their workers. The state's Wage and Hour Law, found in Chapter 387, Hawaii Revised Statutes, and Chapter 12-20, Hawaii Administrative Rules, sets forth these requirements and the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations enforces them.
Minimum wage under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law also applies to employment covered by the federal wage and hour law (Fair Labor Standards Act) when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal law.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
When tips, meals or lodging count toward the minimum wage
Hawaii allows a tip credit for tipped employees working in the state. Under certain conditions, employers may pay these workers less than the standard minimum wage of $8.50 per hour. Effective January 1, 2016, the tip credit allows employers to pay up to 75 cents less per hour than the full minimum wage, provided that the employee's wages plus tips equal at least $7 more per hour than the minimum wage rate. This means a tipped employee in Hawaii must receive a combination of direct wages and tips that meets this threshold. The tip credit provisions are outlined in Section 387-2, Hawaii Revised Statutes. Workers who receive tips should verify that their total compensation meets these requirements and should contact the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations if they believe their employer is not complying with the tip credit rules.
TIP CREDIT - Under certain conditions, "tipped employees" may be paid up to twenty-five cents less per hour; effective January 1, 2015, up to 50 cents less per hour; and effective January 1, 2016, up to 75 cents less per hour (if wages + tips equal $7 more per hour than minimum wage rate).
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
Why the federal rate applies when the state rate is lower
When Hawaii's minimum wage rate is lower than the federal minimum wage, the higher federal rate applies to employees covered by both laws. The Hawaii Wage and Hour Law states that state standards apply when they are higher than federal requirements, which means the inverse is also true - when federal standards exceed state standards, the federal rate governs. This ensures that workers always receive the most protective standard available from either level of government. In 2016, Hawaii's minimum wage of $8.50 per hour exceeds the federal rate, so the state rate applies. However, if the federal rate were ever increased above Hawaii's rate, employers would need to pay the federal amount instead. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations enforces state wage standards and can provide guidance on which rate applies in different circumstances.
Minimum wage under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law also applies to employment covered by the federal wage and hour law (Fair Labor Standards Act) when Hawaii standards are higher than the federal law.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
How the rate is adjusted each year, and who announces it
The minimum wage rate in Hawaii is established by statute and scheduled to increase over time. In 2016, the rate is $8.50 per hour, effective January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016. This represents an increase from prior years and is part of a multi-year schedule enacted by the state legislature. The rate is not automatically adjusted for inflation each year - instead, specific increases are set by law with defined effective dates. Workers and employers in Hawaii should be aware of the applicable rate for each period. The Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations publishes notices about the current minimum wage and maintains information on its website at www.hawaii.gov/labor. Future scheduled increases will continue to raise the minimum wage in subsequent years as specified in the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law.
$8.50 per hour effective January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
How each figure was verified
Each number below was read from a stored copy of the document named beside it, and checked to occur word for word in the quoted sentence. The digest is of that stored text.
Notice to Employees Under the Hawaii Wage and Hour Law, HWHL-1 (Rev. 06/14) (Hawaii Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Wage Standards Division)
- Hourly
$8.50 per hour effective January 1, 2016 through December 31, 2016
Other years
Every Hawaii Minimum Wage year · Minimum Wage in every state