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Finance director reports nearly $52M in COVID temporary hazard pay; council requests unit‑level breakdown
Summary
Finance Director Diane Nakagawa told the finance committee temporary hazard pay expenditures were just under $52 million, less than prior estimates; council members asked for a breakdown by bargaining unit and clarification of included costs.
Finance Director Diane Nakagawa told the Hawaii County Council Committee on Finance on April 7 that the county’s COVID‑19 temporary hazard pay expenditures totaled just under $52 million, a figure the administration said was below earlier high‑end estimates used during planning.
Council members asked for more detail on the composition of that total and requested a breakout by bargaining unit. "When we had about a $70,000,000 estimate... it was when we weren't sure what was going to be included in all of the agreements," Nakagawa said, noting that the department had planned for the higher estimate and ultimately spent less. She offered to provide a further breakdown of expenses by active versus inactive (retirees) and by bargaining units such as HGA, UPW and others.
Committee members asked whether the notification and reporting provided to council could be more granular (line‑item or bargaining‑unit totals) and whether any additional claims or settlements might still emerge; Nakagawa said she was not aware of further liabilities and that the county could provide a more detailed breakdown. Councilors recorded no objection to closing the file on the communication after the director’s explanation; the motion to close carried with nine ayes.
Next steps: The Finance Department agreed to provide a more detailed breakdown of the temporary hazard pay expenditures by bargaining unit and active/inactive employees to address council members’ questions.
