PRESS RELEASE

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment • 633 17th Street, Suite 600 • Denver, CO 80202 • (303) 318-8852 • Fax: (303) 318-8870

 

 

For Immediate Release

 

Date:                October 19, 2007/ 9:00 A.M.

Contact:            Office of Government and Public Relations

Phone:             (303) 318-8004

Fax:                  (303) 318-8070

 Web:                http://www.coworkforce.com/lmi/

 

 

COLORADO LABOR FORCE DEVELOPMENTS

FOR SEPTEMBER 2007

 

Labor Force[i]

 

Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was essentially unchanged in September, inching up one-tenth of a percentage point from the previous month to 3.9 percent, according to Donald J. Mares, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.  “Overall labor market conditions in Colorado have remained quite stable this year despite signs of softness in the national economy,” noted Mares.  Last September the unemployment rate stood at 4.3 percent.  

 

Results of the monthly household survey, upon which the employment and unemployment figures are based, were somewhat mixed in September.  Employment increased 27,900 over the month to 2,601,800, marking the first time the estimated count of employed residents has exceeded 2.6 million.  Last year at this time the number of employed was 2,557,300.  Unemployment, meanwhile, rose a modest 4,300 during the month.  At 106,800, the number of persons unsuccessfully looking for work is down 7,300 from twelve months ago.

 

With the winding down of summer tourism activities, many areas throughout the State saw unemployment rise during the month.  Eighteen of Colorado’s 64 counties posted lower unemployment rates, 15 remained unchanged, and 31 had higher rates in September.  The lowest unemployment rates were found in Hinsdale and Rio Blanco counties at 2.0 and 2.1 percent, respectively.  At 6.8 percent, Crowley County registered the highest rate.

 

 

 

 

Wage and Salary Employment[ii]

 

Total nonfarm wage and salary employment declined 800 in September, according to the monthly survey of Colorado businesses.  The decline was about typical for the month with eight of the State’s eleven major industry groups paring jobs.  Seasonal industries experienced the strongest payroll declines, led by the loss of 11,000 positions in leisure and hospitality.  Professional and business services and construction realized employment declines of 2,700 and 2,400, respectively.  Trade, transportation and utilities trimmed 1,000 workers from its payrolls while other services and financial activities each shed 900 positions.  Information eliminated 700 jobs and manufacturing fell 300.

Natural resources and mining saw little employment change in September.

 

Government offset most of the private sector losses by adding 17,800 jobs over the month.  Hiring within the education subsector of state and local government, up 10,500 and 7,900, respectively, was responsible for the gains. Education and health services advanced 1,200 on the strength of gains in educational services. 

 

Over the past twelve months, Colorado nonfarm wage and salary jobs have increased 45,000 or 2.0 percent.  Professional and business services contributed 13,700 net hires to the State’s expansion.  Employment in education and health services is up 9,900, while trade, transportation and utilities, up 7,500, and leisure and hospitality, up 7,100, also continue to add jobs.  Manufacturing, off 4,400, and construction, down 2,500, are the two major industry groups that have lost jobs since last September.   

 

National[iii]

 

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the nation’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate inched up one-tenth of one percentage point to 4.7 percent in September.  Nonfarm payroll employment rose 110,000 following revised increases of 93,000 in July and 89,000 in August.  Most new jobs came in health care, up 33,000, and food service and drinking places, which gained 25,000. 

 


[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://www.coworkforce.com/lmi/ali/lfpage.asp

 

[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://www.coworkforce.com/lmi/CES/ceshome.asp

 

[iii] The Bureau of Labor Statistics homepage is available at the following link:

http://www.bls.gov/