Unemployment in Hawai’i Remains Low

The State of Hawai’i Department of Labor and Industrail Relations announced that November’s statewide unemployment rate statewide was down to 4 percent, compared to 4.1 percent in October.

The DLIR said Thursday that the labor force in Hawai’i has grown by 17,000 in the past year. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate has remained unchanged at 5.8 percent in November.

The number of individuals employed in Hawai’i is 642,850, while 27,000 individuals classify as unemployed in November. These numbers make the total seasonally adjusted labor force 669,850.

Initial unemployment claims have decreased by 14 percent and weeks claimed has decreased by 19.8 percent compared to one year ago. Since October, both initial claims and weeks claimed have decreased by 8.6 percent.

The figures above represent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate figures.

According to the DLIR, the total of seasonally adjusted non-farm jobs has increased by 5,400 in November. Many major industry sectors experienced growth in employment, including gains in professional and business services, financial activities, educational and heath services, other services, and trade, transportation, and utilities.

Jobs within the professional & business services field were mostly in administrative and waste services.

In addition to the employment gains, job losses were prevalent in manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, and construction.

As compared to one year ago, non-agricultural jobs have expanded by 9,700 jobs.