Hawaiʻi Unemployment Rate 3%, Lowest since 2007

Hawaiʻi County’s 3.4% unemployment rate for November dropped from October’s rate of 3.8% and is lower than the 4.1% reported at the same time last year.

Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for November was 3% which is the lowest rate since October, 2007.

Hawaiʻi County’s 3.4% unemployment rate for November dropped from October’s rate of 3.8% and is lower than the 4.1% reported at the same time last year. Photo Courtesy.

The new data was released yesterday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The DLIR noted that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for the state dropped after a 3.2% rate reported in October 2016, and down from the 3.3% rate reported at the same time in 2015.

The department reports industry employment gains in several areas including the following job expansions: 700 jobs in Professional & Business Services, 100 jobs in Manufacturing, and 100 jobs in Construction.

Job losses were reported in several sectors including: -100 jobs in Trade, Transportation, & Utilities, -100 jobs in Other Services, -400 in Educational & Health Services, and -1200 jobs in Leisure & Hospitality.

According to the new data, there were 676,200 employed and 20,650 unemployed individuals in the state in November, which combines for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 696,850.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.6% in November, down from the 4.9% unemployment rate in October.