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I was shocked when I read in the Hawaii Tribune that Honolulu's unemployment rate was just 4%, while the Big Island's rate was 6.5%. It's been a while since we lived there, but getting a job on the Big Island was always very tough, and this was before the real estate bubble burst. We still stay in contact w/ people there, and they say that there are still few jobs, rents have not really come down much from 6 years ago, and the cost of everything continues to rise. What gives? I think this is a national trend as well. No way do I believe the numbers coming out of Washington, especially as they already admit that people who lose their unemployment benefits and are still unable to find work are not even counted.
I believe the number is correct but doesn't paint a realistic picture as it doesn't count part timers as unemployed. Here is a story from last December.
It also doesn't include people who have simply given up searching for registered jobs but working whatever they can get. This "shadow" economy is huge (handymen, childcare, cleaning, waiters, yard work, field work, construction, tours, etc).
sorry to be a negative person when it comes to unemployment.
but all numbers that we are given by the govt. are wrong.
too many people simply do not even look for work anymore.
they are off the radar.....out of sight out of mind.
politicians only use these numbers to help there own case.
if it benefits one party unemployment is low.
if it benefits the other party unemployment is high.
its all lies and propaganda.
There are large numbers of people on the Big Island who have completely given up on having a real job. Some of them live hand-to-mouth, some do odd cash jobs, some grow/sell the pakalolo... I would guess the real unemployment number for the Big Island is closer to 15% and that is not an exaggeration...
I would guess the real unemployment number for the Big Island is closer to 15% and that is not an exaggeration...
Now that we are firmly in the educated-guessing territory, I would say the real unemployment on the BI is closer to 35-40% of the adult, able-bodied population.
Not that they don't work at all and manage to survive with some kind of economical activity, but they don't have the registered jobs they desire.
I sure hope all those dreamers out there are reading this thread! It doesn't matter how hard you think you can work, if you are competing with all of these out-of-work people who are already there, then you have no chance.
Oh, but when we try to tell them that, we are called a bunch of ugly names. Do we stop trying to give a true picture of reality in Hawaii?
Or just do what some of us are doing - bring a needed job/field there or open a business to help the local economy
I'm with you Dreaming - if I were moving somewhere so different, I'd want to know the REALITY versus some fake self-esteem bs. But again, that's just me. However, I'm usually glad to help out with some actual information from the island.
I believe unemployment figures are calculated the same way, no matter where you are in the US. It is true that a lot of people not working are not counted, but you can compare the numbers from Alabama, Hawaii and West Virginia. And I don't think the definition has changed recently so you can compare numbers from 5 years ago with 1 year ago and last month.
It also doesn't include people who have simply given up searching for registered jobs but working whatever they can get. This "shadow" economy is huge (handymen, childcare, cleaning, waiters, yard work, field work, construction, tours, etc).
This is a dirty little secret the Obama "Administration" (as if), won't tell you. They simply don't count people whose unemployment comp has run out as umemployed. They just conclude that they are no longer interested in work, so they take them out of the pool of unemployed, as if someone who has spent a year fruitlesslessly looking for waork is "employed"
Properly calculated the unemployment rate nationally is in the low teens.
Hawaii, unfortunately, isn't immune from the ugly and evil influence of Democrats anymore than the rest of America is.
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