Unemployment Rate Remains Stable Across State

The Hawaiʻi State Department of Labor & Industrial Relations announced that the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for February was 2.1%, the same as in January.

On Maui, the unemployment rate was at 1.9% on Maui island, down slightly from January’s rate of 2% and down from the 2.8% reported at the same time last year. Molokaʻi’s rate was 3.8% in February, up slightly from the month before when the rate was 3.5%, and down the 4.3% rate reported at the same time in 2017. The island of Lānaʻi reported a 2.1% unemployment rate in February 2018, down from the 3.2% rate in January, and down significantly from the 4.8% rate from the same time last year.

The County of Maui as a whole had a 2% unemployment rate (non seasonally adjusted) for February 2018, down from the 2.1% rate in January, and down from the 2.9% rate at the same time last year.

Statewide, 669,400 were employed and 14,050 unemployed in February for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 683,500. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.1% in February, the same as in January.

Both initial claims and weeks claims decreased by 11 or -0.9% and by 320 or -3.9% respectively for unemployment benefits compared to one year ago. Over-the-month initial claims and weeks claims also declined by -16.1% and -6.5% respectively in February 2018.

The not seasonally adjusted rate for the State was 1.9% in February, compared to 2.1% in January.

In a separate measure of employment, in February over January, there was an increase of 2,300 jobs.

Within the major sectors, job gains were experienced in Professional & Business Services (+1,300), Educational & Health Services (+500), Manufacturing (+100), Leisure & Hospitality (+100), and Other Services (+100). Within the Professional & Business Services, the bulk of the job expansion was spread out over several subsectors of Administrative & Support & Waste Management & Remediation Services.

Employment in the Information sector remained stable.

Jobs losses occurred in Construction (-100), Financial Activities (-100), and Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (-400). Government employment went up by 800 jobs, with most of the rise in the University of Hawaiʻi System. Compared with February 2017, total nonfarm jobs have expanded by 8,900, or 1.4%.