Hawaii's unemployment rate jumped to 7.1 percent in March, as the number of people without work surged to 45,850.

The seasonally adjusted number represented a more than doubling of last year's unemployment level and a significant 0.6 percentage point increase from February.

Hawaii's rate has been steadily rising as the state lumbers through a recession. While rates have soared compared to last year, the state's jobless level remains below the national rate that was 8.5 percent in March.

The state noted unemployment has been over 6 percent for three months and that Hawaii's unemployed may now qualify for an additional 13 weeks of Emergency Unemployment compensation. The enhanced benefits would start being available in about a month.

Unemployment also more than doubled or almost doubled on all islands, with joblessness reaching double digits on the Big Island and Kauai.

The state reported non-seasonally adjusted unemployment was 5.8 percent on Oahu, 10.2 percent on the Big Island and 10.3 percent on Kauai.

It was 8.9 percent on Maui, 12.7 percent on Molokai and 9.1 percent on Lanai.