LIHU‘E — A robust labor market matched its pre-pandemic jobless rate for the month of September, in part to steady hiring across a number of sectors and fewer people engaged with the workforce.
The unemployment rate on the island of Kaua‘i plunged to 2.4 percent in September from 3.7 percent in September 2022, according to monthly data released by the Hawai‘i Department of Business, Economic Development and Tourism.
The most recent reading was the lowest among the four major islands in Hawai‘i, and the lowest for the month of September since 2019 when the jobless rate measured 2.4 percent.
The all-time low for the month of September stands at 1.8 percent in 2017, according to employment data going back to 1990.
The labor market was paced by the accommodation sector, which added 300 jobs to bring its total to 4,300 in September. That was up 7.5 percent in the period.
Three sectors — retail trade, professional and business service and other service — added 200 positions to bring job rolls to 4,000, 3,100 and 1,200, respectively. The other service sector posted the highest percentage gain of any sector at 20 percent in September.
Two sectors — transportation, warehousing and utilities and local government — added 100 positions to bring employment totals to 1,800 and 1,400 respectively.
On the downside, the arts, entertainment and recreation sector shedded 200 jobs to finish with 1,000 people on its payroll.
Five sectors — food service and drinking places, state government, natural resources, mining and construction, financial activities and federal government — cut 100 positions in September.
Federal government and arts, entertainment and recreation notched the steepest percentage decreases in the period at 16.7 percent.
All told, civilian employment was unchanged at 35,500, while the labor force contracted to 36,350 in September from 36,850 in September 2022, the data showed.
The highest unemployment rate across the four major islands was recorded in Maui at 8.1 percent. That was up 4.6 percent from September 2002 with nearly all of that increase directly related to the devastating Aug. 8 wildfires. The most destructive wildfire — the Lahaina Fire — claimed at least 100 lives, destroyed more than 2,000 structures and displaced thousands of people.
The jobless rate on O‘ahu fell to 2.6 percent in September from 3.7 percent in September 2022, while the Hawai‘i Island figure dropped to 2.8 percent from 3.9 percent.
Statewide, the unemployment rate eased to 3.3 percent from 3.7 percent in the same period. Data not seasonally adjusted.
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Wyatt Haupt Jr., editor, can be reached at 808-245-0457 or whaupt@thegardenisland.com.
