January’s jobless rate for Maui County jumped a half percentage point to 2.9 percent compared to January 2018, continuing a year-over-year upward trend since August, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The department released its monthly unemployment report Friday. After months of declining rates, jobless percentages began an upward march, compared to the previous year, in August, and the margins have grown in the following six months to half-percentage-point increases in December and January.

The jobless in March 2018 was 1.9 percent.

Maui island’s January jobless rate also was 2.9 percent, increasing 0.6 percentage point from a year earlier.

Lanai’s and Molokai’s unemployment totals declined in January from 3.6 percent to 1.4 percent and from 4.2 percent to 3.8 percent, respectively. They were the only islands to show increased employment year over year.

County and island data are not adjusted for seasonal developments, such as summer and holiday hiring, reducing the value of month-over-month comparisons.

The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 2.7 percent, up from 2.6 percent in December and 2.3 percent a year earlier.

Initial jobless claims in January were flat compared to a year ago but rose 22.6 percent from December. Nonagricultural jobs fell 1,300 in January month over month.

Job gains were in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, up 500; and financial activities, up 100. There were losses in leisure and hospitality, down 1,700; information, down 300; and professional and business services, down 300. The bulk of the decline in leisure and hospitality was in the food services and drinking places category.

Government jobs were up 400 in the month.