Unemployment inched up on the Big Island during September, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reported Monday.
About 4.3 percent of the island’s 87,750 person labor force reported being without work during September, according to state data. That’s up from 4.2 percent in August and unchanged from July. In September 2014, 5.3 percent of the labor force was unemployed.
Statewide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in September, down from 3.5 percent in August, according to the department, which also noted that the state unemployment rate was at its lowest since March 2008. A year ago, 4.2 percent of the statewide labor force was unemployed.
Honolulu City and County’s unemployment rate was 3.4 percent in September; Maui County’s rate increased to 3.8 percent; and Kauai County’s rate was 4.2 percent, according to the department.
Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 5.1 percent, unchanged from August. Nationwide, 7.9 million people remained unemployed during September, down from eight million in August.
Across the state of Hawaii, 23,150 people were unemployed in September, down from 23,750 the month before. A year ago, 28,000 people were without employment statewide, according to the state.
Hawaii Island’s labor force in September comprised 87,750 people, of whom 83,950 held jobs, according to preliminary statistics kept by the state. In August, 84,500 of the 88,200 people in the civilian labor force held jobs.
The professional and business services sector added 1,200 news positions in September, according to the state. Job losses were recorded in the manufacturing, leisure and hospitality, other services, construction, education and health services, and trade, transportation and utilities sectors. The trade, transportation and utilities sector saw the most positions cut at 1,300 followed by educational and health services, which saw ranks decrease by 1,300, and construction where 600 jobs were lost.