HRS §383-163

Unemployment benefits cannot be assigned or taken for debts

Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗

This section says that your right to unemployment benefits cannot be given away, sold, or used as collateral, and creditors cannot take those benefits to collect debts. You cannot give up this protection, except for specific situations like child support, taxes, or food stamp overpayments.

borrowerscreditorsdebtors

The statute, as written — No assignment of benefits; waiver

A copy, taken August 20, 2026. The version published by the Legislature is the one that governs, and it may have changed since. Check it before relying on anything here.

No assignment, pledge, or encumbrance of any right to benefits which are or may become due or payable under this chapter shall be valid and the right to benefits shall not be subject to levy, execution, attachment, garnishment, or any other remedy for the collection of debt. No waiver of this section shall be valid, except that this section shall not apply to: (1) Section 383-163.5 with respect to the withholding and deduction of benefits for the payment of child support obligations; (2) Section 383-163.6 with respect to the voluntary withholding and deduction of benefits for payment of federal and state income taxes; and (3) Section 383-163.7 with respect to the withholding and deduction of benefits for repayment of uncollected overissuances of food stamp coupons.

Read the official text at capitol.hawaii.gov ↗as published Jan 6, 2026our copy taken Aug 20, 2026

Sections this one refers to

§383-163.5 Taking child support from unemployment benefits

§383-163.6 Choosing to have income tax taken out of unemployment pay

§383-163.7 Taking food stamp overpayments from unemployment benefits

LawTrove is not legal advice. The summary above is a computer-generated restatement — the authoritative text is the official version linked above.