It is the purpose of this chapter to require each jurisdiction to establish and maintain a separately administered civil service system based on the merit principle. The merit principle is the selection of persons based on their fitness and ability for public employment and the retention of employees based on their demonstrated appropriate conduct and productive performance. It is also the purpose of this chapter to build a career service in government, free from coercive political influences, to render impartial service to the public at all times, according to the dictates of ethics and morality and in compliance with all laws.

In order to achieve these purposes, it is the declared policy of the State that the human resource program within each jurisdiction be administered in accordance with the following:

(1) Equal opportunity for all in compliance with all laws prohibiting discrimination. No person shall be discriminated against in examination, appointment, reinstatement, reemployment, promotion, transfer, demotion, or removal, with respect to any position when the work may be efficiently performed by the person without hazard or danger to the health and safety of the person or others;

Terms Used In Hawaii Revised Statutes 76-1

  • Appeal: A request made after a trial, asking another court (usually the court of appeals) to decide whether the trial was conducted properly. To make such a request is "to appeal" or "to take an appeal." One who appeals is called the appellant.
  • Civil service: includes all positions within a jurisdiction that are not exempted by § 46-33, 76-16, or 76-77, or by other law and must be filled through civil service recruitment procedures based on merit. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 76-11
  • Complaint: A written statement by the plaintiff stating the wrongs allegedly committed by the defendant.
  • Jurisdiction: means the State, the city and county of Honolulu, the county of Hawaii, the county of Maui, the county of Kauai, the judiciary, the department of education, the University of Hawaii, and the Hawaii health systems corporation. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 76-11
  • Jurisdiction: (1) The legal authority of a court to hear and decide a case. Concurrent jurisdiction exists when two courts have simultaneous responsibility for the same case. (2) The geographic area over which the court has authority to decide cases.
  • Merit appeals board: means a jurisdiction's appellate body for purposes of section 76-14 regardless of whether it is named merit appeals board, civil service commission, or appeals board. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 76-11
  • Position: means a specific job requiring the full or part-time employment of one person. See Hawaii Revised Statutes 76-11
(2) Impartial selection of individuals for public service by means of competitive tests which are fair, objective, and practical;
(3) Incentives for competent employees within the service, whether financial or promotional opportunities and other performance based group and individual awards that encourage continuous improvement to achieve superior performance;
(4) Reasonable job security for competent employees and discharge of unnecessary or inefficient employees with the right to grieve and appeal personnel actions through the:

(A) Contractual grievance procedure for employees covered by chapter 89; or
(B) Internal complaint procedures and the merit appeals board for employees excluded from coverage under chapter 89;
(5) Equal pay for equal work shall apply between classes in the same bargaining unit among jurisdictions for those classes determined to be equal through systematic classification of positions based on objective criteria and adequate job evaluation, unless it has been agreed in accordance with chapter 89 to negotiate the repricing of classes; and
(6) Harmonious and cooperative relations between government and its employees, including employee organizations representing them, to develop and maintain a well-trained, efficient, and productive work force that utilizes advanced technology to ensure effective government operations and delivery of public services.