Hawaii's job count increases by 6,600

by Kim Jarrett, The Center Square, Nov 16, 2023

Hawaii's seasonally-adjusted unemployment rate for October is 2.9%, up slightly from 2.8% in September, according to the Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.

The state's job count increased by 6,600 since October 2022, when the unemployment rate was 3.4%.

The numbers are still down from 3.3%, or 21,300 jobs, when compared to March 2020, the beginning of the COVID-19 pandemic, the agency said.

Nine hundred jobs were added from September to October. The industries with the most additions are private education and health services, which gained 1,000 jobs, and professional and business services, which added 200.

The most significant losses were in construction, down 500, and leisure and hospitality, which decreased by 200 jobs, according to DBEDT.

The non-seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remains high for Maui County, which was affected by wildfires in August. Maui County is at 7.1%, with Maui Island at 7.4%, according to the DBEDT. The fires killed 91 people and destroyed or damaged more than 2,200 buildings, officials said.

Hawaii's unemployment rate remained below the national rate of 3.9% in October, up from 3.8% in September, according to figures provided by DBEDT.

---30---

PDF: HAWAII OCTOBER UNEMPLOYMENT RATE AT 2.9 PERCENT