SB 1387 amends Hawaii law governing workers’ compensation coverage for work-based learning programs sponsored by the Department of Education and the University of Hawaii. The bill specifically adds newly graduated high school students to the category of participants covered when they are performing work for a public or private employer as part of a DOE-sponsored work-based learning program. The measure is tied to the state’s education strategic plan, which emphasizes internships and other structured work-based learning opportunities to prepare students for college, careers, and civic engagement.
Under the bill, the State would be deemed the responsible employer for workers’ compensation purposes for a student or new high school graduate in an approved work-based learning program, whether the work is paid or unpaid. The coverage would apply only through July 31 of the student’s graduation year, preserving the existing time limit while extending protection to recent graduates during the summer immediately after graduation. The bill also preserves workers’ compensation as the exclusive remedy against the State and participating private employer, consistent with chapter 386.
Impact
The bill would amend section 302A-430, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to expressly include “a new high school graduate” in DOE-sponsored work-based learning programs for workers’ compensation coverage. This changes the legal status of recent graduates for a limited period after graduation and shifts responsibility to the State as the deemed employer for covered claims. The practical effect is to extend workers’ compensation protections to a narrow group of participants in school-approved internships and similar placements, while leaving the July 31 cutoff and the exclusive-remedy framework intact.
Sentiment
The available bill materials suggest a generally supportive and policy-driven sentiment. The measure is framed as a technical fix to align workers’ compensation coverage with the Department of Education’s strategic goal of expanding internships and work-based learning opportunities. No committee transcripts or recorded votes were provided, so there is no evidence in the supplied record of formal opposition or divided sentiment.
Contention
The main issue addressed by the bill is a coverage gap: once students graduate, they are no longer considered students and may lose workers’ compensation protection while still participating in DOE-sponsored summer internships. The bill resolves that gap by extending coverage to newly graduated students, but only through July 31 of the graduation year. Potential points of contention, though not documented in the provided record, could include the cost and liability implications for the State and participating employers, the narrowness of the coverage window, and whether the extension should apply to other work-based learning participants beyond recent graduates.