Big Island unemployment edges up slightly

KAILUA-KONA — Hawaii County’s unemployment rate edged up slightly in April, the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations reports.

During April, 3.2 percent of the island’s labor force was without work, up slight from March when the unemployment rate was 3.1 percent, according to state statistics. Last April, 3.9 percent of the island’s labor force was unemployed.

Meanwhile, the state’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.7 percent, unchanged from March and down 0.4 percent from April 2016.

Honolulu City and County’s unemployment rate held steady at 2.6 percent while Kauai County’s rate ticked up from 2.8 percent in March to 3 percent in April. Maui’s rate also rose from 2.9 to 3 percent.

Nationwide, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 4.4 percent in April, down from 4.5 in March.

In Hawaii, job gains were recorded in trade, transportation and utilities (1,100), construction (800), education and health services (700), professional and business services (400), information (300), financial activities (200) and manufacturing (100).

Employment in the leisure and hospitality sector remained unchanged.

Job losses were experienced in other services (100).