LIHU‘E — While state and national unemployment rates climbed in August, Kaua‘i saw a decrease to 9.6 percent from 9.8 percent in July.

“We broke even for the month,” said WorkWise Kaua‘i Branch Manager Bill Grier. “It’s exactly what I expected.”

Nonetheless, the island’s unemployment more than doubled from 4.4 percent last August and quadrupled from 2.4 percent in 2007.

The number of Hawai‘i’s total seasonally adjusted nonagricultural jobs declined by 6,500 in August to 594,500, the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations said in an article by the Associated Press.

Government shed 2,800 jobs last month, primarily in the Department of Education, because of its year-round calendar, state officials said. The trade, transportation and utilities category lost 1,600 jobs, while leisure and hospitality shed 1,000, they said.

Professional and business services lost 800 jobs, construction 400, and the other services category 200, the officials said.

“So many things can cause small fluctuations,” Grier said regarding the 0.2 percent “range of error.”

Not only are there more jobs, the positions are “better,” according to Grier. In other words, there are more full-time opportunities rather than part-time now, he said.

Grier predicts it will be approximately four to six months before noticeable improvements will be seen.

“Overall, compared to the rest of the states, we’re looking pretty positive,” he said. “Most people seem to think the economy is finally starting to move a little bit.”

There are still individuals who are looking for jobs, however, who are either underemployed — working enough hours where they don’t qualify for benefits — or their 59 weeks of benefits have expired.

“Many fall through statistical cracks,” Grier said. “It’s really heard to guess how many are not being counted.”

For more information, visit www.www.hiwi.org.