Department of Human Resources

Administration of the County’s classification & pay system is based on merit principles and the principles of equal pay for equal work. This section plans, develops, and administers the classification and pay plans, conducts research on classification and pay matters, recommends pricing for new classes established, assists departments in the coordination of other personnel management processes, and advises departments on implications and problems relating to reorganizations, reassignment of work, and creation of new classes. Audits of positions or units of positions for assignment to appropriate classes and salary or wage grades are conducted.

This section also conducts studies on proposed classification and pricing intentions of the other public jurisdictions to identify possible conflicts with the classification and pay systems established for the County of Kaua‘i. Pursuant to Hawai‘i Revised Statutes, a review of pay range assignments of classes for white and blue collar compensation plans for the various jurisdictions assures inter-jurisdictional alignment of comparable classes based on the “equal pay for equal work” concept.

The Recruitment & Examination section administers the recruitment and examination program for the County of Kaua‘i for all civil service and non-civil service positions.  The program is conducted in conformance with federal, state and local laws including Hawai‘i Revised Statutes (HRS) 76-77(PDF, 80KB)  as well as the various collective bargaining agreements.  Major functions include planning, developing, and conducting recruitment activities to attract qualified applicants for County employment, administering a personnel examination program in accordance with merit principles, adhering to equal opportunity guidelines and professional testing standards, evaluating qualifications, testing candidates, and establishing a list of eligible candidates for referral of names to departments.

Labor relations staff advise and assist the Director on matters relating to public employee collective bargaining and provide support services to the Director who sits as the Mayor’s representative at the bargaining table. Labor relations work involves participation in negotiations, contract interpretation and contract administration for eight bargaining units involving four unions representing County employees. Staff advise and assist departments and agencies on labor-management issues and are responsible for assisting the Director in hearing all Employer-level appeals of the grievance process and making appropriate dispositions of these grievances. 

The Payroll section functions as the centralized agency overseeing compensation for all County employees through semi-monthly payment of wages as well as tax and benefit withholdings based on federal and state regulations and eight collective bargaining agreements. Payroll staff develop and administer policies and procedures for the accurate and timely processing and pre-auditing of payroll source documents and leave record accounting, establish internal controls and fiscal and accounting procedures, and comply with legal requirements to ensure the timely collection and payment of required taxes and disbursements of employer’s health fund benefit costs.  

For any payroll related inquiries, please reach out to payroll@kauai.gov

The Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (EEO/ADA) division provides guidance, assistance, research, policy updates, trainings, and workplace investigations regarding EEO/ADA issues. Examples include anti-discrimination/harassment, reasonable accommodations, facilities access, and language access.