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GOVERNMENT

Employment change from last quarter- 0.4
Employment change from year ago+ 1.9
Wage change from year ago+ 3.1


QUARTERLY

Employment in the Government sector declined over the quarter losing 1316 employees, dropping 0.4%. Typically, employment declines in first quarter. All three divisions of Government lost employment. Declines in Local government, down 138, resulted from over reporting in fourth quarter by two municipalities and seasonal staffing reductions by another, offsetting the addition of about 550 in education. State government employment, down 191, declined with schools and parks reporting lower employment. Winter break at many colleges and inclement weather caused seasonal employment reductions. Some sectors of State government gained employment. General Government rose as the legislature returned to session. Public Order & Safety which contains correctional institutions, legal counsel and police also generated an employment increase. Federal government fell by 987 employees. Losses are seasonal as many typically are laid off at the post office following the Christmas rush and at the Forest Service and National Parks during winter.


ANNUAL

Annually, Government added 5614 employees up 1.9%. Most activity occurred in Local government with employment rising by 5068. A little more than half of the gain took place in education up 2743 employees. The second largest expansion in Local government, with 1096 new employees over the year, occurred in General Government. Expansions in service to its constituency created a need to expand staff in many municipalities. Employment in State government grew by 917. Since a year ago Public Order & Safety has generated 588 new employees. Expansions at facilities in Fremont county and the opening of two new youth facilities, one in El Paso and the other in Weld county, generated most of the growth. Employment in education grew by 489 with most gains in the larger institutions. Federal government employment dropped by 371. Gains in postal service employment, up 432, offset losses of 375 in veterans hospitals and cutbacks at the Air Force Academy and various Department of Defense locations


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Colorado Employment and Wages (ES202) First Quarter 1998