Posted on: Tuesday, May 21, 2002

State jobless rate edges up slightly

By Susan Hooper
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in April, up fractionally from the previous month but below the April 2001 rate, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said yesterday.

Hawai'i's unemployment rate last month was below the national jobless rate for the fifth consecutive month, the labor department said.

The national unemployment rate in April was 5.7 percent — a 1.5 percentage point increase from the April 2001 national rate.

The state's jobless rate this March was 4.3 percent, the labor department said. April marked the first month since November that Hawai'i's unemployment rate rose.

The total number of non-agricultural jobs statewide shrank by 6,700 in April, the labor department said. Most of the decline was attributable to the inter-session break at public schools, which contributed to a drop of 5,800 jobs in public education. Likewise private education lost 500 jobs last month.

Retail trade also registered employment losses, with bar and restaurant jobs down statewide by 400.

On the plus side, construction added 400 jobs and transportation added 300.

The April rate reflected a statewide labor force of 573,700 employed people and 26,300 unemployed but looking for work. Hawai'i's labor force in March was made up of 574,500 employed people and 25,900 unemployed people looking for work.

Comparing counties for April, Honolulu had the lowest unemployment rate, at 4.1 percent. Maui County's rate was 4.5 percent; Kaua'i County's was 5.4 percent and Hawai'i County had a jobless rate of 5.9 percent, the labor department said. Comparing islands, Moloka'i had the highest rate in April at 6.6 percent, while Lana'i had the lowest rate at 3.4 percent.

Reach Susan Hooper at hooper@honoluluadvertiser.com or 525-8064.