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The Honolulu Advertiser

Posted on: Saturday, May 24, 2003

Hawai'i jobless rate hits 3.7 percent in April

By Sean Hao
Advertiser Staff Writer

Hawai'i's jobless rate rose to 3.7 percent in April mainly because of a seasonal drop in education-related jobs.

That was a slight increase from the 3.4 percent rate posted the previous month, but remained below the year-ago rate of 4.4 percent, according to figures released yesterday by the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

Unlike this time last year, when the economy was still beleaguered by a severe tourism slump after the Sept. 11 attacks, the leisure and hospitality industry remained relatively stable, losing just a couple of hundred jobs between March and April. That sector employed 98,400 workers in April, compared with 96,800 in the year-ago period.

The losses were offset by 500 new jobs in the professional, scientific, arts and entertainment sectors, among others for the month.

"New jobs were created in the private sector and there were no significant job losses in the visitor industry despite the continued war on terrorism and other world events," said Nelson Befitel, labor department director.

At the same time 3,100 state government jobs were cut in April as fewer substitute teachers, after-school workers and support staff were needed as classes wound down their spring sessions.

"We generally see a rise in unemployment during the month of April because of the seasonal drop in staffing in both public and private elementary and secondary schools," Befitel said.

Among the islands, Lana'i posted the lowest unemployment rate at 2.6 percent, which was down from 3.6 percent in April 2002. Honolulu's jobless rate fell to 3.3 percent from 4.1 percent over the same time period.

On the Big Island, April's jobless rate fell to 5.7 percent from 5.9 percent in the year before, while Maui County's rate, which includes Lana'i, dropped to 3.7 percent from 4.5 percent. Kaua'i's rate dropped to 5 percent from 5.3 percent.

Overall, the state's jobless rate continued to trail the nationwide unemployment rate, which stood at 5.8 percent in April.

During April, 22,400 workers were unemployed and 576,300 had jobs, compared with 19,900 workers who were unemployed and 572,300 who had jobs in March.

Economists consider the state unemployment rate as a rough measure of economic health, however they caution that it is better viewed as a way to track unemployment trends over time.

Reach Sean Hao at 525-8093 or shao@honoluluadvertiser.com.