Opinion ID: 6494431
Heading Depth: 1
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: introduction

Text: On September 2, 2016, this court accepted an Application for Writ of Certiorari (“Application”) submitted by Petitioner/Claimant-Appellant Genbao Gao (“Gao”). The Labor and Industrial Relations Appeals Board (“LIRAB”) had found that Gao’s workplace psychological injury was attributed to a “Notice to Improve Performance” (“NTIP”) issued by Gao’s employer, the State of Hawai'i, Department of the Attorney General (“Employer” or “State”), relating to Gao’s work as a statistician. LIRAB then concluded in a Decision and Order filed January 31, 2014 (“Decision”), that the NTIP was a “reprimand” as defined in HRS § 386-1 (Supp. 2006), and that therefore his injury was not compensable pursuant to HRS § 386-3(c) (Supp.1998). The ICA affirmed LIRAB’s Decision, concluding, in relevant part, that LIRAB did not err in concluding that [Gao]’s psychological injury allegedly sustained on January 28, 2008 resulted solely from “disciplinary action” as defined by HRS § 386-1 and therefore that [Gaoj’s workers’ compensation claim [against Respondent/Employer-Appellee, Department of Attorney General (“Employer”)] was barred by HRS § 386-3(c). Furthermore, [Gao] failed to establish that Employer acted without proper cause when it issued the NTIP [Notice to Improve Performance] or held the meeting with Gao to discuss the NTIP. Gao v. State, No. CAAP-14-0000694, at 5, 2016 WL 1880738 (App. Apr. 23, 2015)(SDO). In his pro se Application, Gao presented two questions: a. Could groundless accusations be equated to “disciplinary actions taken with good faith”; b. Could [LIRAB] and ICA alter the definition of Work Compensation law? These questions were based on Gao’s arguments that: (1) any “disciplinary action” taken against him was based on “groundless accusations” and therefore was not taken in “good faith”; and (2) the ICA deviated from the statutory definition of “disciplinary action” when it affirmed LIRAB’s Decision because the NTIP was not a “reprimand.” After Gao obtained counsel through the Hawai'i Appellate Pro Bono Pilot Project, this court ordered supplemental briefing on the following issue: Whether the Notice to Improve Performance (“NTIP”) issued to Petitioner was “disciplinary action,” as defined in HRS § 386-1 (Supp.2005) and used in HRS § 386-3(e) (Supp.1998), when viewed in the light of the statutes’ legislative histories. The parties timely filed supplemental briefs, and oral argument was heard. For the following reasons, this court holds that Gao’s NTIP was not “disciplinary action,” as that term is defined and used in HRS §§ 386-1 and 386-3. Accordingly, Gao’s workers’ compensation claim is not barred by HRS § 386-3(e). The legislative histories of HRS §§ 386-1 and 386-3(c) indicate that the legislature intended to include reprimands, suspensions, and discharges that impose a sanction or punishment, but not NTIPs, such as Gao’s, in its definition of “disciplinary actions.” In addition, the State’s Performance Appraisal System’s (“PAS[’s]”) Supervisory Manual (“Manual”) 1 for civil service employees, mandated by HRS § 76-41 (Supp.2000), clearly provides that NTIPs are not disciplinary letters. Thus, we vacate the ICA’s May 21, 2016 Judgment on Appeal entered pursuant to its April 23, 2016 Summary Disposition Order, and remand this matter to LIRAB for further proceedings consistent with this opinion.