Payroll Companies & Payroll Services in Kailua Kona, HI

HR Hawaii is a professional employer organization based in Kailua-Kona that has worked with island employers since its founding in 1998. The firm bundles payroll processing with human resources administration, employee benefits, workers' compensation management and compliance support. This lets a business hand most of its employment administration to a single local provider.

Its clients range from very small operations with a handful of staff to companies with several hundred workers. The firm says it currently handles payroll for hundreds of Hawaii businesses.

Payroll capabilities

Payroll is the core of the offering. Each pay run covers wage, overtime, bonus and deduction calculations, with several internal review steps before funds are released. Notable payroll features include:

• Certified payroll for government jobs subject to Davis-Bacon or prevailing wage rules
• Union payroll, including dues, fringe benefit tracking and related reporting
• Pay frequencies of weekly, every two weeks, twice monthly or monthly
• Direct deposit to accounts at any U.S. bank
• Calculation, deposit and filing of federal forms 941 and 940, plus Hawaii returns such as HW-14 and UC-B6
• Processing of garnishments, child support orders, tax levies and creditor orders
• Year-end W-2 and 1099 preparation, distribution and agency filing
• State new hire reporting, time and attendance integration, and payroll registers, labor cost and tax liability reports
• Multi-entity processing for employers with operations on more than one island

The team emphasizes Hawaii-specific obligations that mainland providers may overlook. These include Temporary Disability Insurance contributions, deductions tied to the Prepaid Health Care Act, and state income tax withholding. The client examples it cites run from a small Kona restaurant to a construction contractor running union crews across the state.

Beyond payroll

Clients can extend the relationship into broader HR support. The HR team handles new hire paperwork and I-9 documentation, onboarding, PTO and sick leave accruals, and leave and disability claims. It also prepares custom employee handbooks and safety manuals, runs performance review programs and gives employee relations guidance, backed by a cloud-based HR platform and an employee portal.

On the benefits side, HR Hawaii uses pooled purchasing power to offer group medical, dental, vision, prescription and life coverage. It also provides 401k administration, coordinates open enrollment, and manages compliance with both the Prepaid Health Care Act and the Hawaii Retirement Savings Program.

Its workers' compensation service covers injury reporting and claims coordination, safety training, worksite risk assessments and accident investigations. It also includes return-to-work and modified duty plans, OSHA and HIOSH recordkeeping, and efforts to lower experience modification rates.

Background and credentials

The company is headquartered in Kailua-Kona on the Big Island and serves employers on all islands. It holds IRS certification as a professional employer organization (CPEO), a status that involves independent audits of its financial and tax practices. The company describes itself as the only locally owned firm in Hawaii with that designation. It has also held ESAC accreditation since 2005, which requires bonding, workers' compensation coverage and continuing regulatory compliance. Industries served include hospitality, retail, construction and healthcare.

For buyers weighing payroll providers, HR Hawaii's main distinguishing points are its locally based staff and the specialized handling of certified and union payroll. Clients deal directly with someone familiar with their account rather than a ticket queue. Prospective clients can request a free, no-obligation consultation and quote.