The personnel director may designate a qualified person as the director's deputy. The deputy shall be thoroughly familiar with the principles and methods of personnel administration and shall believe in applying merit principles and scientific administrative methods to public personnel administration. In case of a vacancy in the office of director or of the absence of the director or the director's inability from any cause to discharge the powers and duties of the director's office, the powers and duties shall devolve upon the director's deputy.
HRS § 76-76