Hawaii County unemployment up in June

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii Island’s unemployment rate increased by more than a percentage point during the month of June, up from 2.3 percent in May, recently released state labor statistics show.

About 3.4 percent — or 3,150 people in the island’s 92,300 labor force — were without work during the month, according to the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. In April and May, unemployment was at 2.3 percent, down a tad from 2.4 percent in March.

Those rates are still down from a year ago when 3.5 percent of the island was without work.

Statewide, unemployment held increased slightly from 2 percent in May to 2.1 percent in June. The rate remains down from 2.4 percent in May 2017.

Around the state, unemployment increased across all four counties. Maui County’s rate increased from 2 percent in May to 2.7 percent in June while the City and County of Honolulu saw the unemployment rate increase from 2 percent in May to 2.6 percent in June. Kauai’s jobless rate increased from 2.1 percent in May to 2.9 percent in June.

Nationally, the unemployment rate increased to 4 percent in June, up from 3.8 percent in May.

In Hawaii, job increases were recorded in education and health services (1,200) and other services (100). Job losses were reported in trade transportation and utilities (700), manufacturing (600), leisure and hospitality (100), financial activities (100), and information (100). Government employment was stable, the DLIR said.