Hawaii unemployment grows to historic levels

In February, Hawaii’s unemployment rate rose to 6.5 percent, up from 6.1 percent in January and more than double the rate from a year ago. The February jobless rate was the highest since the fall of 1978, when 6.6 percent of workers were out of jobs. The rate is up from 3.1 percent in February 2008, with 21,800 more people out of work, according to the U.S. Department of Labor.

• Kauai's jobless rate more than tripled from 2.8 percent to 9.1 percent in just 12 months.
• Molokai had the state's highest unemployment rate at 12.9 percent, up from 5.5 percent a year ago.
• Maui County's jobless rate jumped from 3.1 percent in February 2008 to 7.8 percent in February 2009.
• The Big Island’s rate rose from 3.7 percent to 9.1 percent.
• Oahu had the state's lowest rate at 5.4 percent but it was still more than double the rate from February 2009, when it was 2.6 percent.

There were 650,200 people in the work force and 42,200 people without jobs in February. Hawaii’s jobless rate is still below the national figure, which rose to 8.1 percent in February, up from 7.6 percent in January. California's rate was 10.5 percent.

There were 15 “mass layoffs” in February in Hawaii, resulting in the loss of 1,211 jobs for at least 31 days, according to the Labor Department. A year ago, in February 2008, nine mass layoffs resulted in the loss of 786 jobs. Layoffs in February included 100 workers at Maui, Land & Pineapple, which cut jobs at Kapalua Resort and its corporate offices, and 59 workers at Accutron, which closed Feb. 13.

Nationally, 2,769 mass layoffs in February resulted in 295,477 workers’ losing their jobs. Online job advertisements fell 100,000 to 3.2 million in March, according to a report from the Conference Board. The March drop followed sharp declines of 507,000 in December and 506,000 in January, and a modest dip of 6,600 in February. During the last four months advertised jobs have fallen by 25 percent, or 1.12 million.

Meanwhile, a report by University of Hawaii economists said Hawaii may see its largest job loss in more than 50 years in 2009 as the recession lasts a year longer than previously forecast. The University of Hawaii Economic Research Organization predicted a bleaker forecast for job losses, visitor arrivals, employment and income growth than in its last report four months ago.

“We’re pushing the recovery back another year,” said UH economist Carl Bonham, co-author of the report. “2011 is when things start to grow again.”