Hawaii’s unemployment at record low 2.1%

Hawaii maintained its record low jobless rate at 2.1 percent in January.

The seasonally-adjusted rate was the same as the revised rate for December.

There were 668,700 employed and 14,400 unemployed last month for a total seasonally adjusted work force of 683,050. Nationally, the unemployment rate was 4.1 percent.

In another measure, nonagricultural jobs rose by 1,900, with a more than 1,100 increase in the trade, transportation and utilities sector, mostly attributed to a smaller release of seasonal retail workers and less seasonal hiring last year. There were 1,000 more jobs in the professional and business services industries, while leisure and hospitality jobs grew by 500.

There were losses, however, in construction, manufacturing, information, educational and health services, while government employment declined by 500, primarily because of a drop in the University of Hawaii System jobs.