A human resource of a company or organization is generally an employee, and the department that communicates with employees and manages employee-related issues—including job applications, job interviews, drug tests, employment offers, wages, benefits, paid time off (PTO), unpaid leave, employee reviews, termination of employment, and unemployment insurance claims—is often known as the human resources department, or human resources, or simply HR. An employer’s human resources department may consist of one person in a smaller organization or many persons in a larger organization, and is often headed by a human resources manager or human resources director.

In Hawaii, the human resources (HR) department of a company or organization is responsible for managing a wide range of employee-related functions. These functions include handling job applications, conducting job interviews, administering drug tests, making employment offers, and managing wages, benefits, and paid time off (PTO). Additionally, HR departments in Hawaii oversee unpaid leave, employee reviews, termination of employment, and the processing of unemployment insurance claims. The size of an HR department can vary from a single individual in smaller organizations to multiple staff members in larger ones, typically led by a human resources manager or director. Hawaii state statutes and federal laws regulate many aspects of employment, including but not limited to, the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA) for wages and hours, the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA) for leave, and the Hawaii Employment Practices Act which prohibits discrimination in various aspects of employment. Employers in Hawaii must also comply with state-specific regulations regarding employee rights and employer responsibilities.