COLORADO EMPLOYMENT SITUATION July 2010

Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate remained unchanged at 8.0 percent in July, according to Donald J. Mares, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. “Four months of stability in the unemployment rate combined with two months of notable private-sector job growth is encouraging news,” Mares said.
“Our challenge is to sustain this growth over the second half of the year,” he continued. Last July, the unemployment rate was 8.1 percent. The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) decreased in 50 of Colorado’s 64 counties, increased in 11 and was unchanged in 3. The lowest rate was 2.5 percent in Hinsdale County and the highest was 14.2 percent in Dolores County. In July 2009, the unemployment rate declined in 63 counties and remained unchanged in one. Last year, the lowest rate was 2.5 percent in Hinsdale County and the highest was 13.1 percent in Dolores County.

The number of working Coloradans decreased 7,400 over the month to 2,442,300. The
civilian labor force declined 6,800 to 2,655,600. The number of residents unsuccessfully looking for work increased 600 over the month to 213,300. One year ago, total employment was 2,484,900 and the number of unemployed was 219,900. The civilian labor force has declined 49,200 since July 2009.

Wage and Salary Employment[ii]
The monthly survey of Colorado business establishments indicates the number of
nonfarm wage and salary jobs increased 1,900 in July to 2,205,300. Employment increased in five of Colorado’s eleven major industry sectors over the month. Leisure and hospitality employment increased 3,100 in July. Education and health
services added 1,800 jobs. Trade, transportation and utilities gained 1,300 jobs,
information 400, and mining and logging 100. Construction employment declined 1,800.
Government and professional and business services each declined 800. Other services
and manufacturing each declined 500, and financial activities decreased 400. Nonfarm payroll employment decreased 1.1 percent over the year, or 25,200, from the
July 2009 level of 2,230,500. Employment in four of Colorado’s eleven major industry sectors increased over the year. Employment in education and health services increased 6,600, government 3,500, other services 600 and leisure and hospitality 200. The remaining seven industry sectors declined over the year. Construction, down 17,400, experienced the largest decline of all industry sectors. Manufacturing declined 4,600, professional and business services 3,800, and trade, transportation and utilities 3,600. Other losses included information (3,200),
financial activities (2,700), and mining and logging (800).

National[iii]
The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the unemployment rate held steady at 9.5 percent in July. Nonfarm payroll employment declined 131,000, reflecting a reduction of 143,000 temporary employees working on Census 2010. Private-sector payroll employment increased 71,000 due to increases in manufacturing and health care. Private sector payroll employment has increased by 630,000 in 2010.

[i] Labor force estimates are calculated from the household survey results, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Local Area Unemployment Statistics methods. The unadjusted statewide and county level estimates are available at the following link:
http://lmigateway.coworkforce.com/lmigateway/gsipub/index.asp?docid=363
[ii] Wage and salary employment estimates are calculated from the establishment survey results, using the Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics methods. The statewide adjusted and unadjusted, and the unadjusted MSA estimates are available at the following link: http://lmigateway.coworkforce.com/lmigateway/gsipub/index.asp?docid=364
[iii] The Bureau of Labor Statistics homepage is available at the following link: http://www.bls.gov/