Maui County jobless rate less than half national average
March tally comes in at 1.9 percent
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The Maui News
Maui County's not seasonally adjusted unemployment rate fell to 1.9 percent in March, less than half of the national jobless rate of 4.1 percent and the same as the state's rate overall, according to monthly statistics released Thursday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.
The county's rate was down from 2.7 percent in March last year and from 2 percent in February.
Not being seasonally adjusted means that the rate does not take into account seasonal fluctuations in labor markets such as those that occur with summer vacations or winter holiday season.
Maui island's jobless rates were the same as the county's, except the March 2017 rate was slightly lower, 2.6 percent.
Molokai had the state's highest unemployment rate in March, 3.8 percent, but that was lower than a year earlier, 5.1 percent, and in February, 4 percent. Lanai's jobless rate was 2.7 percent last month, down from 3.4 percent a year earlier, but it's up from 2.2 percent in February.
The lowest unemployment rate among the state's counties was Kauai at 1.8 percent last month. The City and County of Honolulu was at 1.9 percent and Hawaii County was at 2.3 percent.
Statewide, there was a net increase of 200 jobs from February to March. Among major industries, job gains were seen in leisure and hospitality (plus 600); trade, transportation and utilities (plus 500); financial activities (plus 400); and education and health services (plus 100). Job losses were in manufacturing (minus 100); other services (minus 100) and construction (minus 700). Government jobs fell by 500 jobs, mostly in the state Department of Education.
Initial unemployment claims decreased by 56, or 4.6 percent, and weeks claims dropped by 652, or 8.2 percent, compared with a year ago. Over-the-month initial claims and weeks claims fell by 8.6 percent and 7 percent, respectively.
Hawaii's overall labor force was at 684,550 in March. Of those, 670,500 were employed, and 14,050 were without jobs.