Jobless rate in Hawai'i still lowest
By Dan Nakaso
Advertiser Staff Writer
Hawai'i's 2.9 percent seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for April once again was lowest in the nation.
No other state had even a 3 percent unemployment rate, which many economists consider to be "full employment." North Dakota was next, at 3.2 percent. Michigan, at 6.7 percent, and the District of Columbia's 7.9 percent rate trailed the nation.
The nationwide unemployment rate was 5.2 percent in April.
The Islands have led the country in seven of the past nine months, according to the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. Last month's figures were a slight increase over March's 14-year low of 2.8 percent.
With 612,600 people with jobs, the number of unemployed in Hawai'i has dropped 11.2 percent since last year to 18,500.
The figures came out yesterday on the eve of the largest turnout of job recruiters ever for today's WorkForce Job Fair at the Neal Blaisdell Center.
The May job fair typically is the largest of the year, and last year's set a record with 136 recruiters. But yesterday, 175 recruiters were scheduled to attend and organizers had to turn others away.
"We are sold out. We're shoehorning them in," said Beth Busch, WorkForce executive director. Recruiters "are calling trying to get in because they're having so much trouble finding people."
With Hawai'i's unemployment rate running below full employment, Busch said there's "no way" recruiters will fill all of their hiring needs today.
"But hopefully they'll find lots of good leads," she said.
In particular, recruiters will be looking to attract employed people who might be coaxed away to other jobs.
"They may be looking for a different or better job, or a second job," Busch said.
Statewide, Honolulu saw a nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 2.8 percent for April. Lana'i had the Islands' best nonseasonally adjusted unemployment rate of 1.2 percent; Moloka'i the worst at 9.3 percent.
Reach Dan Nakaso at dnakaso@honoluluadvertiser.com or at 525-8085.
