My question involves labor and employment law for the state of: Hawaii
Thanks in advance for your help.
I have a valuable employee who plays a major role in my small business. I was informed by another employee he had plans to leave the state in 2 months. When I confronted my valuable employee, he admitted he was leaving because the cost of living in Hawaii was too expensive. Since my valuable employee did not tell me this information, and I learned it through the grapevine, I need to know what are the best strategies to retain him (permanently, or a minimum of 8 months while a replacement is being trained)? Below are some ideas I want integrated into an employment contract to retain him. (Note: employee currently makes approximately $80k/year as a project manager of a construction company)
Option #1 - Keep valuable Employee For 8 Months
- Offer employee $10k bonus to stay for 8 months. Conditions of this bonus will include:
-- Employee must not miss more than 3 days of work in the 8 mo period or employer will revoke bonus incentive.
-- Employee must continue to act faithfully in the companies best interest same as he has in the past. If found to have acted in bad faith (personal use of company tools or resources, talking about this bonus with other employees, inaccurate time reporting, etc..) the bonus will be revoked.
-- If employee voluntarily leaves before 8 mo period, the full bonus will be revoked.
- Any other ideas to tighten the terms of this bonus structure? Are the above mentioned terms legal?
Option #2 - Renegotiate wages and bonus structure
-As part of a renegotiated wage and bonus structure, I plan to include:
-- Non-compete, including starting his own business similar in nature to the work we perform.
-- Employee must give 6 month notice prior to leaving company to be eligible for any bonuses that are in progress. Must give notice regardless of circumstances.
-- Any other ideas?

