Hawaii and Alaska posted the second largest over-the-month percentage declines in employment (-0.4 percent each) for October, according to the latest figures from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Arizona and Michigan had larger declines of -0.5 percent each. Hawaii, however, also recorded the second lowest rate of unemployment among the states at 2.7 percent for October. Idaho continued to have the lowest jobless rate of 2.5 percent. The national unemployment rate was 4.7 for the period.