Hawaii’s employment-discrimination framework under HRS Chapter 378 covers an expansive set of protected classes, including arrest-and-court-record protections and reproductive health decisions that exceed federal baselines. The state’s geography, cost-of-living profile, and federal-government presence combine to shape the damages picture.
Cost-of-living adjustment
Honolulu’s cost of living is among the highest in the United States. For plaintiffs whose compensation included housing allowances, cost-of-living differentials, or relocation allowances, the damages model treats each as a distinct compensation component rather than rolling them into a single salary figure.
Defense and federal-government plaintiffs
Plaintiffs employed at the military installations and federal facilities on Oahu face federal pay-scale compensation with locality adjustments, security-clearance premiums, and retirement-value components. The model reconstructs the FERS annuity value separately from the base stream.
Worklife & discount-rate notes
Hawaii's tourism, healthcare, defense, and federal-government sectors produce compensation structures with cost-of-living adjustments, housing allowances for military-connected roles, and seasonal variation in hospitality. The Jones Act and the state's shipping framework affect maritime-industry plaintiffs' earnings projections.
