Hawai‘i’s unemployment rate for July was 2.8%

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for July was 2.8%, compared to 3% in June, according to the Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

Maui Countyʻs unemployment rate in July was 2.5%, down from 3.1% in June, and down from the 3.4% reported at the same time last year.

In July, 658,300 persons were employed and 19,300 were unemployed, for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 677,650 statewide. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.5% in July, down from 3.6% in June.

The unemployment rate figures for the State of Hawai‘i and the US are seasonally adjusted, in accordance with the US Bureau of Labor Statistics methodology. The not-seasonally adjusted rate for the state was 2.7% in July, compared to 3.3% in June.

In a separate measure of employment, total nonagricultural jobs increased by 5,300 month- over-month, from June 2023 to July 2023. Job gains were experienced in Construction (+700); Trade, Transportation and Utilities (+400); Leisure and Hospitality (+400); Professional and Business Services (+300); and Private Education and Health Services (+200).

Employment remained stable in Information; and Financial Activities. Job losses occurred in Other Services (-100); and Manufacturing (-200). Government employment went up by 3,600 jobs. The bulk of the rise in Government was in State Government, due to a markedly lower than seasonal average release of workers in the Department of Education.

Year-over-year (July 2022 was the 28th month of pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs have gone up by 12,700, or 2%. However, in comparison with March 2020 (the last month prior to pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs were down by 19,100, or -2.9%.