MEDIA RELEASE

The state Department of Labor & Industrial Relations has announced the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for March remained at 6.4 percent.

There were 616,400 employed and 42,250 unemployed in March, for a total seasonally adjusted labor force of 658,650. Nationally, the seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was 8.2 percent down from 8.3 percent in February.

Initial claims for unemployment benefits were down 11.6% and total weeks claimed were down 3.4% compared to one year ago. Initial claims rose by 1.2% and total weeks claimed dropped by 0.7% in March compared to February.

The unemployment rate figures for the State of Hawaii and the U.S. in this release are seasonally adjusted, in accordance with the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) methodology. The not seasonally adjusted rate for the State increased to 6.4 percent in March from the revised rate of 6.3 percent in February.

In a separate measure of employment, total seasonally adjusted nonagricultural jobs increased by 1,100 jobs over-the-month.

Among major industry groups, job gains were experienced in Leisure & Hospitality (+1,100), Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (+800), Professional & Business Services (+200) and Educational & Health Services (+200).

Employment in Manufacturing and Other Services remained stable.

Employment declines occurred in Construction and Government, with each contracting by 300 jobs, and in Financial Activities (-500).

In comparison with March 2011, total seasonally adjusted nonagricultural jobs have gone up by 3,600, with the largest job expansion in Leisure & Hospitality (+5,300, +5.2 percent), Trade, Transportation, & Utilities (+1,100, +1.0 percent), and Professional & Business Services (+1,000, +1.3 percent).