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A broad measure of joblessness that includes those who are forced into part-time jobs or have become so discouraged that they’ve stopped looking for work remains relatively high in Hawaii.
The unemployment rate for those workers averaged 15.8 percent during a 12-month period ending June 30, according to a report released today by the federal Bureau of Labor Statistics. Although that was an improvement from the 16 percent average rate for the 12-month period ending March 31, it was still considerably higher than a narrower unemployment number reported on a monthly basis. That rate, which excludes part-timers and discourage worker, averaged 7 percent for the year through June 30.
Hawaii’s monthly unemployment jobless rate — which dropped to 6.3 percent in June — is among the lowest in the nation, while the broader jobless measure reported today is among the highest.
