See below for a list of frequently asked questions.
I have recently changed my mailing/home address, name, phone number, place of employment or employment
status – do I have to do anything?
Yes. Please be sure to immediately inform HGEA of any changes to your contact information or employment,
as well as the effective date of change. It is very important that we have your current information
so that we can communicate all updates and announcements with you in a timely manner. Also, a change
in employment status may affect your dues and benefits. Simply email the changes to
membership@hgea.org or call your local HGEA office.
I did not receive or misplaced my HGEA membership card - how do I get one?
You can either email HGEA at membership@hgea.org or call your
local HGEA office. Please provide your name and current home and/or mailing
address. No work address please.
It takes about 3 to 4 weeks to process and mail a membership card. If you have not received your membership
card after 4 weeks, please be sure to contact us.
In special circumstances, if it is vital that you receive your card immediately (sooner than the 3-4
week period), please call your local HGEA office.
Why do I have to pay union dues?
In accordance with the law (HRS Section 89), mandatory statutory union dues are automatically payroll
deducted from those State and County workers in bargaining units 2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 9 and 13. This provides
employees with representation by HGEA, including contract administration (daily enforcement of the collective
bargaining agreements) and contract negotiation (presenting proposals/arguments to employers on behalf
of employees). HGEA also coordinates political and legislative programs/campaigns to elect lawmakers
who will fight to maintain worker rights and benefits.
How much do I pay for union dues?
The monthly dues for each employee are calculated individually based on the following formulas:
FULL-TIME employees
.008 times x straight-time monthly salary* + $11.50 (AFSCME per capita payment) + $0.60 (Hawaii State
AFL-CIO payment) = Total monthly statutory dues
PART-TIME employees (under 20 hrs/week)
.008 times x straight-time monthly salary* + ($8.65) AFSCME per capita payment + $0.60 (Hawaii State
AFL-CIO payment) = Total monthly statutory dues
* The "straight-time monthly salary" is defined as the employee's monthly basic rate of pay, including
any differential pay for compression, conversion, permanent, related shortage, retention, salary adjustment,
school year, DOE special services adjustment (Unit 13), temporary and shortage amounts received by the
employee. Subject to change.
To find the calculated amount of your union dues, login to the “Members
Only” section, look for the box labeled “Benefits” and view the line item named “Statutory Dues”.
You can also call your local HGEA office.
Do I still have to sign up to be an HGEA member even if I already pay union dues?
Yes. In order to receive the full benefits of HGEA, employees must complete an HGEA membership form
and sign up to become a member. It costs nothing more and you will receive additional discounts and
benefits that making being part of HGEA even more rewarding. To view a few of the benefits that membership
provides, see our “Member Benefits” page.
To sign up for new membership, click here.
I’m not a State or County employee - can I still join HGEA to take advantage of the benefits program?
Because HGEA offers a host of member benefits including retail discounts, recreational activities (ie
sports leagues), insurance plans and scholarship opportunities, many non-state or county employees choose
to join our membership. “Associate” members include individuals who are Private-white collar, Non-HGEA
bargaining unit, Federal, Retirees, Spouses, Excludeds, Appointed/Elected officials, Non-profit organizations
and East-West Center employees. Membership dues vary from $3.00 – 23.00 per month.
To check whether you qualify to become an Associate member, please call your local
HGEA office.
To sign up for new membership, click here.
Am I still an HGEA member?
To check your current membership status, login to the “Members Only” section.
If you are able to login, then you are currently a member. If you are unable to obtain access, then
your membership has most likely lapsed. Since there are a variety of reasons this could have occurred,
please email HGEA at membership@hgea.org or call your
local HGEA office.
I am retiring soon - why should I join the Retirees Unit?
If you currently have any HGEA-sponsored insurance plans, such as group life insurance, it’s important
that you sign up for the Retirees Unit or your benefits will be terminated.
Over 9,200 former employees of the State and County government have all joined the HGEA Retirees Unit.
Together they lobby to protect your public pension, improve retirement benefits and help elect government
officials who understand the needs of retired public employees.
Membership also allows you to enjoy the same discounts & benefits as active members (ie. Retail discounts
and social and recreational activities such as field trips, workshops, bingo, neighbor island trips,
etc). For more information or to join the HGEA Retirees Unit, please call your
local HGEA office.
I’m not currently an HGEA member - how do I join the Retirees Unit?
Anyone that has retired from the workforce can join HGEA in the Retirees Unit. Membership dues will
vary depending on whether you retired from a government position or not. See “How much are the dues
for the Retirees Unit?” below.
To check whether you qualify to join the Retirees Unit, please call your local
HGEA office.
To sign up for new membership, click here.
I’m currently an HGEA member and I’m going to retire soon - will I automatically become a Retiree Unit
member?
No. You must let us know that you are retiring so that we can change your employment status on our records
and sign you up for the Retirees Unit. If not, your union dues will lapse and any HGEA-sponsored insurance
plans, such as group life insurance, will be terminated.
How much are the dues for the Retirees Unit?
If you retired as a government employee (State, County or Federal), your membership dues are as follows:
- Under 75 years old: $4.00/month
- 75 years & older: $3.00/month
- Spouse: $3.00/month
If you retired from the private sector, your membership dues are $6.40/month.
I received a payment reminder notice - what do I do?
Please email HGEA at membership@hgea.org or call your
local HGEA office immediately so we can assist you. If your membership dues are outstanding, your
insurance and/or other member benefits may be terminated.
I pay for certain benefits (ie. insurance) thru payroll deduction - how can I find out exactly what
I am paying?
Login to the “Members Only” section and look for the box labeled
“Benefits”. It will provide you with an itemized list of your benefits, in addition to the payment method/schedule
and employer subsidy (if any) for each product.
I have a question on my insurance plan – who do I call?
For questions regarding your medical insurance plan, please call Hawaii Employer-Union Health Trust
Fund (EUTF) at 583-7390 or toll free (808) 295-0089 or email eutf@hawaii.gov.
For questions regarding your auto/home owner insurance, please call DTRIC at 808-951-1700.
For questions regarding your other insurance plans (ie. life, cancer, long-term care, etc), please call
The Royal State Group at 808-539-1600.
I was an HGEA internet subscriber but would like to cancel my account – how do I do this?
Please provide us with a letter (mailed, faxed or emailed) stating that you would like to cancel your
internet service. We need the following information: name, last 4 digits of your SSN# (for verification)
and current address if a refund is due to you. Internet service will be cancelled on the 1st of the
month following receipt of the letter. If you have an automatic payroll deduction, please call your
local HGEA office.
What happened to the HGEAnet internet service?
HGEA is no longer affiliated with what used to be HGEAnet. This internet service is now handled by a
company called HawaiianISP.com. They can be reached at 1-866-443-2638 for all technical and customer
services related questions.
Do you offer any other internet services at a discount? If not, what are my options?
We do not offer any other internet services. We are currently trying to negotiate a discounted internet
rate for our members with some of the local ISP's. Some of the biggest internet providers in Hawaii
are HawaiianTel, Oceanic and Clearwire.
How do I sign up to receive eBulletin?
Login to the "Members Only" section. The site will ask you to register
and as part of the registration process, you will be asked if you would like to receive the eBulletin
newsletter. Or you can also go to our homepage and click on the eBulletin banner. The eBulletin will provide you with weekly HGEA announcements as well as the latest discounts and other
benefits information.
What is the “Members Only” section?
It provides HGEA members with access to their bargaining unit information (contracts, salary schedule,
unit board members, etc), benefits (itemized list of selected benefits with the payment method/schedule
and employer subsidy, if any), elected lawmakers, employment info and specific union agent.
If know you are an active HGEA member and are having trouble logging in, please email our technical
support staff at its@hgea.org.
Who is my union agent?
Login to the “Members Only” section and look for the box labeled
“My Union Agent”. If your union agent name is not provided, please contact your
local HGEA office.
What bargaining unit do I belong to and how do I find my contract and salary schedule?
Login to the “Members Only” section and look for the box labeled
“My Bargaining Unit & Contract”. It will tell you the bargaining unit you belong to, as well as provide
links to your current & previous contracts & salary schedules.
Is HGEA a credit union?
No. HGEA stands for “Hawaii Government Employees Association” - we are the largest labor union in the
State of Hawaii. We represent most State & County government workers in order to protect/maintain their
employee rights and benefits.