Starting in the year 2023, businesses in Hawaii must pay their employees a minimum wage of $12.00. Below are both previous and current minimum wage rates in the state of Hawaii, as reported by the US Labor Law Center. Hawaii, unlike many other states, has a single statewide minimum wage rate rather than minimum wages that vary by county.
As an employer in Hawaii, it is your responsibility to ensure that you are in accordance with all applicable laws and rules. One of the regulations that is believed to be of the biggest significance is the Hawaii minimum wage 2023 for employees.
Hawaii now has the 14th-highest minimum wage in the US, at $12 per hour
To help business owners figure out how to pay their employees a fair salary while still operating their businesses efficiently, this piece will examine the current minimum wage in Hawaii as well as its historical minimum wage, discuss the minimum wage for tipped workers, and offer some advice.
How can Hawaii’s restaurants and other small companies pay minimum wage?
We’ve covered what a higher minimum wage means for workers, but how will it affect businesses? As a consequence of inflation, many businesses are losing money and several restaurants have reported being unable to pay for qualified workers. Since Hawaii’s minimum wage is at an all-time high, restaurants there must be able to pay their employees at least that amount.
Since restaurants often only make a profit of 3-5%, their cost structures and profit margins have historically relied more heavily on minimum wage workers than those of other industries. Employers in other industries with far bigger profit margins were able to pay much higher salaries in the past. However, if we want working in restaurants to remain a respectable profession, where people want to stay put (rather than being forced to juggle several jobs), then the industry will need to find ways to not just meet but also exceed the minimum wage requirement.
How can Hawaii restaurants and other small companies raise wages?
Much effort has to be done before working at a restaurant can provide a living wage, as was previously said. To begin, the once-accepted figure of 30% to 35% for labor costs is now considered inaccurate. Compared to past years, the cost of labor is likely to take up a larger chunk of your overall operating budget.
Labor expenses are rising, and restaurants throughout the United States have accepted that they will continue to do so as long as the cost of living increases at an unsustainable rate. What, therefore, can a restaurant do, in addition to offering competitive salaries and benefits, to attract and keep the best possible employees?
Conclusion
There are certain regulations that must be followed while processing payroll and scheduling employees’ shifts. If you use a unified payroll and team management system, you can be certain that your employees will never be overworked, that overtime will be compensated for only when really required, and that they will be paid on time, every time. Paying all employees at least the full Hawaii minimum wage at all times is the easiest way to stay in compliance with the law in Hawaii.