UHERO just published some information and analysis of Hawaii's unemployment picture:
https://uhero.hawaii.edu/unemploymen...bling-picture/
"Table 1 shows the sharp decline in employment between March and April, a decline of 167,000. Unemployment rose during the same period by 134,900 and the labor force declined by 32,000. The sharp rise in Hawaii’s unemployment rate from 2.4% in March to 23.8% in April would have been even more pronounced if the labor force had not declined by 32,000 persons. If the labor force did not fall, and the number of people unemployed increased by the full decline in employment, Hawaii’s unemployment rate would have been 27.5% in April instead of 23.8%."
They also looked at the Great Recession of 2007-09 for guidance:
"Even though the Great Recession of 2007-2009 lasted only 18 months in the U.S., employment in Hawaii did not return to the pre-recession level until 2014. And that’s without protracted travel quarantines, business shutdowns and stay-at-home orders. The number of involuntary part-time workers did not fall to the 2007 level until 2019. UHERO’s most recent (baseline) forecast envisions total employment not returning to its pre-pandemic level until 2029. Social safety net programs and job re-training and education programs all deserve more attention to avoid a lost decade for Hawaii’s underemployed."
Using history as a guide, Hawaii is likely to impacted for 5-9 years, even if this COVID-19 is magically cured tomorrow. Sad