Unemployment up in June

Hawaii’s unemployment rate saw slightly last month from 3.8 to 4.4 percent, an expected bump attributed to the end of the academic year, according to data released today by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations. However, Hawaii’s jobless rate remained more than two percent below that of the rest of the nation, which similarly rose from 5.8 to 6.5 percent. Noting the disparity, DLIR director Nelson Befitel said, “Hawaii’s economy has been resilient.” Most of the jobs lost were seasonal or in public and private education.