Colorado Employment Situation in December, 2018 – Unemployment Numbers up for S.E. Colorado

Employers in Colorado added 9,800 nonfarm payroll jobs from November to December for a total of 2,762,200 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 9,100 and government increased 700. November estimates were revised up to 2,752,400, and the over the month change from October to November was an increase of 4,400 rather than the originally estimated increase of 1,800.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point from November to December to 3.5 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 9,600 over the month to 3,118,200 and the number of people reporting themselves as employed increased 4,100 to 3,010,300. The larger increase in the labor force than in total employment caused the number of unemployed to increase 5,500 and the unemployment rate to increase to 3.5 percent. The national unemployment rate increased two-tenths of a percentage point in December to 3.9 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls increased from 33.3 to 33.6 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $28.13 to $29.63.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in education and health services, professional and business services, and manufacturing. There were no significant private sector over the month declines. .

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 75,400, with an increase of 68,400 in the private sector and an increase of 7,000 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and trade, transportation, and utilities. There were no significant private sector over the year declines.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is up five-tenths of a percentage point from 3.0 percent. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 88,400, total employment increased 72,400 and the number of unemployed increased 16,100. The national unemployment rate declined from 4.1 percent in December 2017 to 3.9 percent in December 2018.

Here are the unemployment percentages for counties in southeast Colorado: