Hawaii jobless rate in June holds at 2.7%

Hawaii employers added 1,200 more jobs in June but the unemployment rate remained stuck at 2.7 percent for the fourth month in a row, according to data released today by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The state’s seasonally adjusted jobless rate has been holding at a 10-year low as the economy continues to grow modestly. Until this year, the last time the jobless rate was at 2.7 percent or lower was in June 2007.

Hawaii’s nonfarm payroll jobs, which include people who might hold multiple jobs but not those who are self-employed, increased to 655,100 from 653,900 in May. The professional and business services category showed the largest increase at 1,000 jobs while leisure and hospitality was next with a gain of 900. Construction jobs, which has been one of the hottest areas of the economy for the last couple of years, saw hiring fall by 500 jobs to 37,100.

Hawaii’s unemployment rate is derived largely from a monthly telephone survey of households, while a separate survey of businesses determines the number of nonfarm payroll jobs.

The state’s labor force, which includes people who are employed and those who are unemployed but actively seeking work, fell last month to 695,600 from 697,450 in May. The labor force number also includes those who are self-employed but does not include those who hold multiple jobs.

There were 676,500 employed in June, down from 678,250 the previous month. The number of unemployed declined to 19,100 from 19,200.

Hawaii’s jobless rate continues to be lower than in the U.S. as a whole. Earlier this month the national rate came in at 4.4 percent for June, up from 4.3 percent the previous month.