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The Honolulu Advertiser
Posted on: Friday, June 21, 2002

Hawai'i jobless rate dips to 4.2 percent

Associated Press

Hawai'i's statewide unemployment rate stood at 4.2 percent in May, compared with 4.3 percent in the same month a year ago, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said yesterday.

May's rate was down from 4.4 percent in April. The month-to-month decline was mirrored by the national rate, which dipped to 5.5 percent last month.

Hawai'i's rate of unemployment has now declined in five of the past six months, the department said.

In May, 570,600 Hawai'i residents had jobs, while 24,900 were out of work.

At 3.8 percent, O'ahu had the lowest unemployment rate in the state last month, followed by Maui with 3.9 percent; Lana'i, 4.2 percent; Kaua'i, 5.7 percent; the Big Island, 6.2 percent; and Moloka'i, 6.6 percent.

Throughout the state, nonagricultural jobs in May increased by 8,100 over April.

Most of the rise in jobs was due to an increase in support positions at the Department of Education after an inter-session break in April, officials said.

Including an increase in the casual hires in the University of Hawai'i system, the state education sector as a whole expanded by 7,200 jobs.