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Hawaii jobless
rate drops to
4.5 percent

All islands post decreases
except Molokai

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By Russ Lynch
Star-Bulletin

Hawaii's unemployment rate was 4.5 percent last month, a decrease of 1.2 percentage points from 5.7 percent in August 1999.

Last month's island rate, which is not seasonally adjusted, was slightly above the unadjusted national average of 4.1 percent.

There were 27,100 unemployed in Hawaii last month, 20.5 percent fewer than the 34,100 listed as unemployed in August 1999, according to state figures released yesterday.

The number of jobs continued to grow. There were 572,900 employed last month, a growth of 1.8 percent, or 9,900 workers, from the August 1999 level of 563,000 employed. The work force grew to 600,000 last month, up 2,900, or 0.05 percent, from 597,100 in the year-earlier month.

All islands except Molokai showed lower unemployment last month than in August 1999. The Big Island had the greatest improvement, a drop to 7.4 percent from 9.6 percent. Maui's rate of 3.6 percent rate, was down from 5.1 percent; Oahu's 3.9 percent compared with 5 percent a year earlier; Kauai's 6.7 percent was down from 7.3 percent; and Lanai's 3.5 percent was slightly lower than August 1999's 3.6 percent.

Molokai continued to have the highest rate in the state, 18.2 percent last month, up from 15.8 percent a year earlier.

The statewide August jobless rate was slightly higher than the 4.3 percent rate reported for July, partly because temporary jobs ended for about 1,000 federal census workers.