John Rebchook is a former Rocky Mountain News reporter with more than 30 years of experience in writing and communications... Colorado’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased six-tenths of one percentagepoint to 7.5 percent in December, Donald J. Mares, Executive Director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, said today.
Colorado last year suffered its highest percentage job loss in 66 years, according to the department. The annual average unemployment rate for 2009 in Colorado was 7.3 percent, an increase from 4.9 percent in 2008. This marks the highest percent job loss since 1944.
“In addition to anticipated weakness in retail trade, employment in December was affected by a particularly severe cold snap,” Mares said. In December 2008, the unemployment rate stood at 5.8 percent.
The number of working Coloradans fell 22,100 over the month to 2,458,300 out of a civilian labor force of 2,656,700. The number of residents unsuccessfully seeking work rose 14,900 to 198,400. Last December, total employment was 2,591,400, the civilian labor force was 2,751,300 and the number of unemployed was 159,900.
December is typically a month of rising unemployment in those counties not home to major winter recreation activities. The unemployment rate (not seasonally adjusted) increased in 55 of Colorado’s 64 counties, declined in seven and remained unchanged in two. The lowest rate was 2.8 percent in Cheyenne County and the highest was 17.0 percent in Dolores County. In December 2008, the unemployment rate increased in 46 counties, declined in 15 and was unchanged in three counties
The monthly survey of Colorado business establishments indicates non-farm wage and salary jobs (not seasonally adjusted) increased 2,500 in December to 2,249,000. Employment increased in six of Colorado’s eleven major industry sectors over the month. Leisure and hospitality payrolls increased 10,800, primarily due to winter recreation activities. Trade, transportation and utilities added 3,300 jobs, driven by weaker thanusual seasonal gains in retail trade and transportation, financial activities gained 2,100and other services 400. Education and health services and mining and logging added 200 and 100 jobs, respectively.
Construction continued to decline with losses of 7,500 jobs and government declined 4,100, with about half of the decrease occurring due to seasonal declines in education. Professional and business services was down 2,500 jobs and information declined 300. Manufacturing payrolls remained unchanged for the second consecutive month.
Nonfarm payroll employment decreased over the year by 3.8 percent, or 87,700, from the December 2008 level of 2,336,700. Employment in two of Colorado’s 11 major industry sectors increased over the year. Education and health services added 6,300 jobs and government increased 2,700. Goods-producing industries accounted for slightly less than half of the job losses during the pastyear. Employment in construction was down 22,600, manufacturing declined 12,100 and mining and logging was down 6,300. Trade, transportation and utilities and professional and business services declined 15,800 and 15,000, respectively. Other losses included leisure and hospitality (9,300), financial activities (7,400), information (4,400), and other services (3,800).
Contact John Rebchook at JRCHOOK@gmail.com or 303-945-6865
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