The state's seasonably adjusted unemployment rate increased in August to 4.2 percent, up from July's 3.9 percent and the highest it's been in more than six years.

Nationally, the unemployment rate also continued to rise and stood at 6.1 percent in August, 0.4 of a percentage point higher than in July. In August 2007, the nation's jobless rate was 4.7 percent.

There were 28,100 unemployed in Hawaii last month and 636,050 employed for a labor force of 664,150. In August 2007, the labor force was 646,200, with 628,850 employed and 17,350 unemployed, according to the labor department.