Maui County’s unemployment rate rose to 4.3% in November 2022

Maui County’s unemployment rate for November rose to 4.3%, which was up .4% in October and higher than the statewide unemployment rate of 4% and the US rate of 3.4%, according to the Hawai‘i State Department of Business, Economic Development & Tourism.

All Hawaiʻi counties’ unemployment rates rose in November. Honolulu County remains the lowest unemployment rate in the state at 3.8%, with the Big Island at 4.1% and Kaua’i at 4.4%.

The breakdown for Maui County: Lānaʻi’s unemployment dropped to an extremely low 1.2%. Moloka’i’s rate also dropped to 6.8%, 1.6% lower than in October. Maui Island’s unemployment rate rose .5% to 4.3%.

When seasonally adjusted, the statewide unemployment stayed the same in November as it was in October at 3.3%; and the US rate also remained the same at 3.7%.

Seasonally adjusted reflects hiring and layoff patterns that accompany regular events such as the winter holiday season and the summer vacation season and are done in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics methodology. These adjusted rates are not available for individual counties and islands.

Statewide, 652,300 were employed and 22,250 were unemployed in October for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 674,500.

In another measure of employment, total nonagricultural jobs increased over-the-month by 1,700.

Job gains occurred in Leisure & Hospitality (+1,400); Education & Health Services (+700); Other Services (+500); Construction (+400); and Information (+100); Within Leisure & Hospitality, expansion was largely in Food Services & Drinking Places.

Most of the rise in the Education & Health Services grouping was in Health Care & Social Assistance.

Job losses occurred in Manufacturing (-100); Financial Activities (-100); Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (-400); and Professional & Business Services (-500). Within the Trade, Transportation, & Utilities grouping, smaller than typical seasonally hiring in Retail Trade brought employment down.

Contraction in Professional & Business Services was concentrated in the Administrative & Support & Waste Management & Remediation Services sub-sector. Government employment contracted by 300 jobs.

Over-the-year (November 2021 was the 20th month of pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs have gone up by 25,800, or 4.3%. However, in comparison with March 2020 (last month prior to pandemic effects), nonfarm jobs were down by 34,700, or -5.3%.