Hawai‘i County Sees 3.5% Unemployment in February

Unemployment in Hawai‘i County fell slightly to 3.5% in February 2019, down 0.2% from January. During the same period last year, unemployment was 2.5%, according to the Hawai‘i Department of Labor and Industrial Relations (DLIR).

DLIR reported a statewide unemployment rate of 2.7% for February, which remains unchanged from January. Statewide, 656,500 residents were employed and 18,250 unemployed during February for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 674,700.

Hawai‘i’s average unemployment remains lower than the national trend. The national seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.8% in February, compared to 4% in January.

Graphic courtesy of Dept. of Labor & Industrial Relations.

Both initial claims and weeks claims decreased by 50 or -4% and by 801 or -10.3% respectively for unemployment benefits compared with one year ago. Over-the-month initial claims and weeks claims also declined by -19.9% and -2.1% respectively in February 2019.

The not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Hawai‘i was 2.7% in February, compared to 2.9% in January.

In a separate measure of employment, DLIR reported that total nonagricultural jobs increased by 1,800 in February over January. Among the major industries, there were job gains in Leisure & Hospitality (+1,400), Trade, Transportation & Utilities (+600) and Other Services (+200). Within Leisure & Hospitality, the majority of increases happened in Food Services & Drinking Places. Employment in Information, Financial Activities, and Professional & Business Services remained stable. Job losses occurred in Construction (-100), Manufacturing (-100), and Education & Health Services (-300). Government increased by 100 jobs. Compared with one year ago, total non-farm jobs expanded by 3,200 jobs, or 0.5%.

The unemployment rate statistics reported by DLIR are seasonally adjusted in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) methodology.

Graphic courtesy of Dept. of Labor & Industrial Relations.