Any employer, other than those excluded below, having one or more employees, full-time or part-time, permanent or temporary, is required to provide WC coverage for the employees.

Excluded employment includes voluntary or unpaid workers for a religious, charitable, educational or nonprofit organization; student workers performing services for a school, university or college club in return for room, board or tuition; duly ordained, commissioned or licensed minister, priest or rabbi; domestic workers earning less than $225 (cash) per calendar quarter; domestic workers of public welfare recipients; certain twenty-five percent stockholders; all fifty percent stockholders; and real estate salespersons and brokers paid solely on a commission basis. An employer may, however, elect to cover the excluded employees.

Federal laws cover workers employed by the federal government and workers engaged in fishing, maritime and longshoring activities.

Each employer shall post and maintain in places readily accessible to employees a printed statement concerning benefit rights, claims for benefits, and such other matters relating to the administration of the workers' compensation law. Each employer shall furnish within three working days of notice of injury to each injured employee a copy of the brochure, Hawaii Workers' Compensation Law (Highlights).