×

Maui jobless rate continues to drop in spite of layoffs

The Maui News

The jobless rate for Maui fell to 2.6 percent in December even as Hawaiian Commercial & Sugar Co. laid off its last workers with the end of operations in December.

The December rate was down from 3 percent in December 2015, according to data from the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations released Thursday.

The data may seem off, given the shedding of hundreds of jobs with the closing of HC&S and the Makena Beach & Golf Club in the summer, but labor department officials have explained that unemployment rates are determined by a random statewide telephone survey conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau that probably wouldn’t catch the sugar workers who lost their jobs. In addition, agricultural jobs are not counted in the survey.

The loss of more than 600 jobs at HC&S and 385 at Makena Golf & Beach Club will eventually affect Maui’s unemployment rate, but only by a small amount, labor department officials said.

The jobless rate was down 2 percentage points to 1.9 percent on Lanai in December, reflecting the return of visitors to the Four Seasons Resort Lanai, which was closed in December 2015 for renovations.

Molokai’s jobless rate, usually the highest in the state, was down to 5.4 percent from 6.6 percent in December 2015.

The overall Maui County jobless rate for December was 2.7 percent, down nearly a half-percentage point.

The county figures were not adjusted for seasonal changes, such as summer and holiday hiring spikes, which make month-over-month comparisons difficult.

Hawaii’s overall seasonally adjusted jobless rate for December was 2.9 percent,  down 0.1 percentage point from November. The department said that the jobless rate has not been that low since September 2007, before the start of the Great Recession.

The number of people employed statewide was 679,900 with 20,000 unemployed in December for a seasonally adjusted workforce of 699,900.

Initial jobless claims increased by 125, or 10 percent, in December compared to a year earlier. Compared to November, initial jobless claims jumped 21.6 percent in December.

The number of jobs in the largest sectors grew in December month over month — with trade, transportation and utilities up 700 jobs and leisure and hospitality up 800 jobs. There also were job gains in professional and business services, up 1,000 jobs, and educational and health services, up 500 jobs.

There were losses in manufacturing, down 100 jobs, and financial activities, down 400 jobs.

Government jobs fell by 3,200, reflecting the release of general election workers.

NEWSLETTER

Today's breaking news and more in your inbox

I'm interested in (please check all that apply)
Are you a paying subscriber to the newspaper?
     
Support Local Journalism on Maui

Only $99/year

Subscribe Today