Hawaii’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate, which had been stalled at the same level for the last four months, dipped to a six-year low of 4.3 percent in August, according to data released Friday by the state Department of Labor and Industrial Relations.

The last time the state’s jobless rate dropped lower was during the early stages of the recession in July 2008 when it was 4.1 percent.  The 18-month recession lasted from the beginning of 2008 through June 2009.

Hawaii’s recent peak for unemployment was 7.1 percent in both July and August following the recession.

Hawaii employers added 1,215 jobs in August from the previous month.

The state’s labor force, which includes those who are employed and others who are unemployed but actively seeking work, rose to a record 662,717 last month.

The state’s unemployment rate had been stuck at 4.4 percent from April through July. August was the 20th straight month that the jobless rate in Hawaii was below 5 percent.