HYE JA CHOI, Petitioner/Appellant-Appellant, vs. TACHIBANA ENTERPRISES LLC, and DEPARTMENT OF LABOR AND INDUSTRIAL RELATIONS, Respondents/Appellees-Appellees.

The above-captioned case has been set for oral argument on the merits at:

Supreme Court Courtroom
Ali‘iōlani Hale, 2nd Floor
417 South King Street
Honolulu, HI 96813

The oral argument will also be live streamed for public viewing via the Judiciary’s YouTube channel at YouTube.com/hawaiicourts and ‘Ōlelo at olelo.org/tv-schedule/.

Attorney for Petitioner HYE JA CHOI:
Lance D. Collins of the Law office of Lance D. Collins

Attorneys for Respondent TACHIBANA ENTERPRISES:
Anna Elento-Sneed and Jessica M. Sneed-Wong of ES&A, Inc.

NOTE: Assigning Circuit Judge Karin L. Holma, due to a vacancy, filed 10/13/25.

NOTE: Order accepting Application for Writ of Certiorari, filed 10/22/25.

NOTE: Order granting motion for retention of Oral Argument, filed 11/04/25.

COURT: McKenna, Acting C.J., Eddins, Ginoza, and Devens, JJ., and Circuit Judge Holma, assigned by reason of vacancy.

Brief Description:
This case arises from a secondary appeal, in which Petitioner Hye Ja Choi challenges her disqualification from unemployment benefits. In March 2020, Tachibana Enterprises, LLC (“Tachibana”) terminated Choi for alleged work-related misconduct. The Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (“DLIR”) determined Choi was terminated for misconduct based on testimony concerning three work-related incidents. The Circuit Court of the First Circuit and Intermediate Court of Appeals affirmed the DLIR’s determination Choi was disqualified from receiving unemployment benefits.

Before this court, Choi argues the DLIR erroneously concluded that Tachibana met its burden to prove that she was discharged for misconduct. The issue is whether the three work-related incidents constituted workplace misconduct as a matter of law.