Hawaii Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board

The objective of the Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (“Board”) is to assure equitable treatment of individuals through the prompt, just and inexpensive determination of appeals from decisions of the Director of Labor and Industrial Relations (“Director”) relating to certain programs, primarily Workers’ Compensation, and Boiler and Elevator Safety.

The Board’s primary activity is to conduct contested case hearings pursuant to the Hawaii Administrative Procedures Act, Chapter 91, Hawaii Revised Statutes. All workers’ compensation appeals are from decisions rendered by the Director through the Disability Compensation Division. Boiler and elevator safety appeals are from citations issued by the Director through the Hawaii Occupational Safety and Health Division against employers for violations of the Boiler and Elevator Safety law. De novo hearings are conducted for these appeals. To accomplish its primary mission, the Board schedules pretrial conferences and settlement conferences for each case prior to conducting a trial. Hearings on pretrial motions are also a normal event. Written decisions and orders are issued following trial or a hearing on a motion. The Board’s work is evenly spread throughout the year.