HONOLULU (KHON2) -- An arbitrator has ruled that hundreds of state workers are entitled to hazard pay for their work during the COVID-19 pandemic, impacting approximately 550 University of Hawaii employees. Get Hawaii's latest morning news delivered to your inbox, sign up for News 2 You The decision, announced this week, covers workers who were employed at the university from March 2020 to March 2022. The arbitrator determined that these employees are entitled to an additional 15 percent of their base hourly pay, in recognition of the risks they faced during the height of the pandemic. Kalani Werner, state director of the United Public Workers (UPW) union, expressed gratitude for the workers who testified during the arbitration process. Two County employees arrested for theft of gasoline “A lot of them remembered what it was like going to work and then coming home and not being able to go directly into the house to avoid affecting their families,” Werner said. “The things they went through were tough, and to finally see this reward has a light at the end of the tunnel.” The next step is for the UPW to work with the state legislature to determine the amount of the award and secure funding. The union hopes its members will begin receiving payments by next summer. Download the free KHON2 app for iOS or Android to stay informed on the latest news However, four other grievances related to hazard pay for UPW members are still pending.