Posted on: Tuesday, January 25, 2005
State '04 jobless rate 3.4 percent
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i's unemployment rate dropped from 3.3 percent in November to 3 percent in December, giving the Islands a 3.4 percent unemployment rate for 2004.
State Department of Labor and Industrial Relations officials yesterday did not have Hawai'i's national ranking for December. But the seasonally adjusted national unemployment rate for December stood at 5.4 percent.
Hawai'i saw seasonally adjusted job growth in December of 500 jobs in education and health services and 200 more leisure and hospitality jobs. Industries that lost workers included trade, transportation and utilities, which saw 100 fewer jobs, and government, which lost 2,300 jobs. Officials said most of the lost government jobs were temporary positions for the election.
"Significant job expansion along with low unemployment throughout 2004 was a direct reflection of Hawai'i's strong economic condition during the year," said Nelson Befitel, director of the state labor department.
Reach Dan Nakaso at 525-8085 or dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com.
During one stretch last year, Hawai'i led the rest of the country in low unemployment for five consecutive months, dropping to third for November.
