For Immediate Release

Date:                May 22, 2009/ 9:00 A.M.

Contact:            Office of Government and Public Relations

Phone:             (303) 318-8004

Fax:                  (303) 318-8070

 Web:                http://lmigateway.coworkforce.com/lmigateway/

COLORADO LABOR FORCE DEVELOPMENTS

FOR APRIL 2009

Labor Force[i]

The seasonally adjusted unemployment rate for Colorado edged down one-tenth of a percentage point to 7.4 percent in April, according to Donald J. Mares, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.  “While this marks the first time since October 2007 that the unemployment rate has fallen, continued job losses will likely push Colorado’s unemployment rate still higher in the upcoming months,” cautioned Mares.  One year ago the rate of joblessness stood at 4.7 percent. 

Because results from the monthly household survey can be volatile, several months of labor force data are needed to confirm or establish trends in the estimates.  After adjusting for normal seasonal labor force movements, the estimated number of employed Coloradans rose 13,200 during the month to 2,534,800.  Despite this month’s increase, total employment has fallen 62,900 over the past twelve months.  Unemployment declined by 2,200 during the month to 201,300.  The number of Colorado residents unsuccessfully seeking work has risen 74,000 since last April.  First-time filings for unemployment insurance through the first four months of this year have doubled compared with the same period last year.  The number of continued weeks claimed for unemployment insurance, an indicator of the degree of slack in the job market, also remains at very high levels. 

In April, local area labor market conditions were generally favorable across Colorado.  Fifty-four counties recorded lower employment rates over the month, while ten posted rates higher than their March levels.  The lowest rate was found in Cheyenne County with a jobless rate of 3.3 percent.  Dolores and San Juan counties posted the highest rates at 14.9 and 10.8 percent, respectively.

Wage and Salary Employment[ii]

According to the monthly survey of Colorado businesses, nonagricultural wage and salary fell 7,300 during the month to 2,258,400.  This marks the largest April decline since the employment series began in 1939, with eight of the eleven major industry groups in the State paring workers over the month. 

Leisure and hospitality trimmed 4,600 positions in April as the winter recreation season came to a close.  Employment in other services shrank 1,600, manufacturing was off 1,200, and trade, transportation and utilities trended down 1,100.  Mining and logging payrolls dropped 900 or 3.2 percent.  Financial activities eliminated 700 jobs and information employment retreated 600.  Government payrolls fell 400 as a large gain in federal employment due to temporary hiring for the decennial census was countered by losses in both state and local government.

Professional and business services led all expanding industries during the month, adding 2,200 positions due to seasonal hiring in its administrative and business support services component.  Construction realized its first increase since last June, but its 900 job gain was only about one-quarter of its normal April advance.  Education and health services trended up 700 positions with the entire gain occurring within the health care and social assistance subsector. 

Nonfarm employment has now receded 90,400, or 3.8 percent, over the past twelve months.  Job losses have been widespread with eight industries now registering lower employment levels than a year ago.  Particularly hard hit have been professional and business services, down 31,500; construction, off 23,500; and trade, transportation and utilities, down 17,900. Substantial losses have also been recorded in manufacturing and financial services, down 12,400 and 10,300, respectively.  Payrolls in leisure and hospitality have contracted 6,000 while smaller losses have occurred in financial activities and other services.  

Employment in the public sector is up 8,600 since last April while payrolls in education and health services have risen 8,000.  The boom in mining and logging has subsided and employment in this industry is about unchanged over the year, up 200.

National[iii]

The Bureau of Labor Statistics reported that the nation’s unemployment rate rose to 8.9 percent.  Nonfarm employment continued to decline in April, falling 539,000.  About 5.7 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007.  In April, job losses were large and widespread across nearly all major private sector industries.  Employment in health care grew by 17,000 and rose 66,000 in federal government in preparation for the 2010 census.