Law Journals and Reviews
One-Sided Bargain? Assessing the Fairness of Hawai‘i's Workers' Compensation Law. 31 UH L. Rev. 553 (2009).
§386-91 Enforcement of decisions awarding compensation; judgment rendered thereon. (a) Any party in interest or the director may file in the circuit court in the jurisdiction in which the injury occurred, a certified copy of:
(1) A decision of the director assessing penalties, or awarding compensation or other relief, including attorneys fees, from which no appeal has been taken within the time allowed therefor;
(2) A decision of the director assessing penalties, or awarding compensation or other relief, including attorneys fees, from which decision an appeal has been taken but as to which no order has been made by the director or the appellate board or the court that the appeal therefrom shall operate as a supersedeas or stay;
(3) A decision of the appellate board assessing penalties, or awarding compensation or other relief, including attorneys fees, from which no appeal has been taken within the time allowed therefor; or
(4) A decision of the appellate board assessing penalties, or awarding compensation or other relief, including attorneys fees, from which an appeal has been taken but as to which no order has been made by the appellate board or the court that the appeal therefrom shall operate as a supersedeas or stay.
The court shall render a judgment in accordance with the decision and notify the parties thereof. The judgment shall have the same effect, and all proceedings in relation thereto shall thereafter be the same, as though the judgment had been rendered in an action duly heard and determined by the court, except that there shall be no appeal therefrom.
(b) In all cases where an appeal from the decision concerned has been taken within the time provided therefor, but where no order has been made by the director or the appellate board or the court that the appeal shall operate as a supersedeas or stay, the decree or judgment of the circuit court shall provide that the decree or judgment shall become void if the decision or award of the director or appellate board, as the case may be, is finally set aside.
(c) In addition to the enforcement remedies set forth in subsection (a) above, the director or employee as part of the proceedings set out therein may ask the court to fine the employer from one per cent to five per cent of the judgment, which fine shall be payable to the employee:
(1) When the employer does not take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and does not commence making payments within ten days after such appeal period has expired;
(2) When the employer does take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and the employer does not request from the appellate board a supersedeas or stay of the decision and the employer does not commence making payments within ten days after such appeal period has expired; or
(3) When the employer does take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and the appellate board denies the employer's request for supersedeas or stay and the employer does not commence making payments within ten days after such a denial by the appellate board.
(d) In addition to the enforcement remedies set forth in subsection (a) above, the employer as part of the proceedings set out therein may ask the court to fine the employee from one per cent to five per cent of the judgment, which fine shall be payable to the employer:
(1) When the employee does not take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and does not commence making payments within thirty days after such appeal period has expired;
(2) When the employee does take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and the employee does not request from the appellate board a supersedeas or stay of the decision and the employee does not commence making payments within thirty days after such appeal period has expired; or
(3) When the employee does take an appeal from the decision of the director within the time allowed therefor and the appellate board denies the employee's request for supersedeas or stay and the employee does not commence making payments within thirty days after such a denial by the appellate board. [L 1963, c 116, pt of §1; Supp, §97-100; HRS §386-91; am L 1972, c 3, §1; am L 1979, c 66, §3; am L 1993, c 255, §1]
Revision Note
Pursuant to §23G-15, in:
(1) Subsection (c)(1), "or" deleted and punctuation changed;
(2) Subsection (c)(2), punctuation changed;
(3) Subsection (d)(1), "or" deleted and punctuation changed; and
(4) Subsection (d)(2), punctuation changed.
Case Notes
Proceedings are to be as simple and informal as may be consistent with right and justice. 24 H. 731 (1919).
Plain language of subsection (a) prohibits an appeal from a judgment entered in accordance with this section; county had no right to appeal from the judgments and orders entered; under section's plain language, an appellate court lacks jurisdiction to consider a prohibited appeal. 95 H. 288, 22 P.3d 84 (2001).
Where claimant failed to serve employer and insurer with motion and summons, due process violated; circuit court thus did not acquire personal jurisdiction over employer and insurer and judgment and garnishee summons issued pursuant to this section in absence of personal jurisdiction void. 82 H. 405 (App.), 922 P.2d 1018 (1996).
Cited: 27 H. 431, 432 (1923).
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