Hawaiʻi County Unemployment Rate 3.1% in December

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations announced that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for December was 2.9%, compared to 3% in November.

The last time Hawaiʻi’s unemployment rate was 2.9% was in September 2007.

The not seasonally adjusted rate for the State was 2.6% in December, compared to 2.8% in November. Photo Courtesy.

Statewide, 679,900 were employed and 20,000 unemployed in December for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 699,900.

Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.7% in December, compared to 4.6% in November.

Hawaiʻi County’s 3.1% unemployment rate for December dropped from November’s rate of 3.4% and is lower than the 3.6% reported at the same time last year.

The department reports industry employment gains in several areas including the following job expansions: +1,000 jobs in Professional & Business Services, 800 jobs in Leisure & Hospitality, 700 jobs in Trade, Transportation, & Utilities, 500 jobs in Educational & Health Services, and 300 jobs in Construction.

Job losses were reported in several sectors including: -100 in Manufacturing, -300 jobs in Other Services, and -400 jobs in Financial Activities. Government jobs went down by 3,200, mostly due to the release of general election temporary workers.

In comparison with December 2015, total nonfarm jobs are up 13,200, or 2.1%.