Skip to main content

Hawaii law

Civil Rights Laws in Hawaii.

Hawaii civil-rights practice combines federal constitutional and statutory claims with the Hawaii Employment Practices Act and the Hawaii Fair Employment Practices Law. The Hawaii Civil Rights Commission enforces state employment, housing, and public-accommodations discrimination claims alongside the EEOC and federal civil-rights courts.

Last verified: 2026-04-17

State law

Statute of Limitations

Administrative and court deadlines vary by claimHRS ch. 378; federal civil-rights statutes

Hawaii civil-rights claims do not follow one universal deadline. State employment-discrimination charges to the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission generally must be filed within 180 days, and federal claims run on their own timelines.

State law

Key Hawaii Statutes

Hawaii Employment Practices ActHRS ch. 378

Hawaii’s employment-practices statute prohibits discrimination in employment based on protected classes, with administrative enforcement through the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission.

Federal Civil Rights Statutes42 U.S.C. §§ 1981, 1983, 2000e et seq.

Many Hawaii civil-rights cases run through federal civil-rights statutes — including § 1983 for state-actor misconduct and Title VII for employment discrimination.

State law

Official Sources

Not Legal Advice

This page summarizes publicly available statutes and rules for informational purposes only. It does not constitute legal advice, and no attorney-client relationship is created by viewing this content. Laws change — always verify with the primary source or consult a licensed attorney in Hawaii.

Next step

Move from state law into guided help or attorney search.

If you want help applying this information to your situation, start with guided help or browse attorneys for this issue in Hawaii.