Colorado’s Employment Situation for August, 2016

Employers in Colorado added 4,100 non-farm payroll jobs from July to August for a total of 2,617,800 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 3,400 and government increased 700.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate was unchanged from July to August at 3.8 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force decreased 3,000 over the month to 2,890,800 and the number of people reporting themselves as employed decreased 1,700 to 2,781,700. The larger decrease in labor force than in total employment caused the number of unemployed to decrease 1,300. Despite the decline in the number of unemployed, the unemployment rate was unchanged from July due to rounding. The national unemployment rate was also unchanged from July to August at 4.9 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 34.8 to 33.9 hours and average hourly earnings decreased from $27.00 to $26.69.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, professional and business services, and construction. The largest over the month declines were in trade, transportation, and utilities.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 71,600 with an increase of 60,700 in the private sector and an increase of 10,900 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in construction, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. Mining and logging declined over the year.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is up one-tenth of a percentage point from 3.7 percent in August 2015. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 69,900, total employment increased 65,600 and the number of unemployed increased by 4,200. The national unemployment rate declined from 5.1 percent in August 2015 to 4.9 percent in August 2016.

The following are the unemployment percentages for counties in southeast Colorado.