Colorado Employment Situation, April 2013

11,600 from March to April to 2,362,700 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased 11,600 and government was unchanged.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two tenths of one percentage point over the month to 6.9 percent. The decrease in the unemployment rate was caused by a larger increase in the number of people reporting their status as employed than in the number of people actively participating in the labor force. The national unemployment rate decreased one tenth of a percentage point over the month to 7.5 percent.

Colorado nonfarm payroll jobs from the business establishment survey are 800 below the May 2008 peak of 2,363,500 prior to the Great Recession. The number of Coloradans reporting themselves as employed in the survey of households is 36,100 below the March 2008 total employment peak of 2,611,300.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 35.1 to 34.3 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $24.87 to $25.49.

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

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 63,200. Private sector payroll jobs increased 60,600 and government increased 2,600. The largest private sector job gains were in professional and business services, leisure and hospitality, and education and health services. Information and mining and logging declined over the year.

Over the year, the unemployment rate declined one and three tenths of a percentage point from 8.2 percent in April 2012. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force increased 22,100, total employment increased 54,700 and the number of unemployed decreased 32,600. The national unemployment rate declined from 8.1 percent in April 2012 to 7.5 percent in April 2013.

The following are unemployment numbers and percentages for southeastern Colorado:

.                   April 2013      Unemp.         March 2013                 April 2012      Unemp.

Baca                  3.6                   83                       3.9                                  3.6                   84
Bent                  7.5                   162                      8.5                                 8.2                184
Kiowa               3.6                   34                       4.2                                  3.8                   36
Kit Carson       3.7                  170                     4.4                                  4.5                 202
Las Animas     9.8                  789                  10.5                                  9.9                 780
Crowley           8.3                   136                     8.7                                  9.7                  161
Otero               9.0                   805                    9.7                                   9.3                 825
Prowers           5.3                   352                    5.9                                   6.1                  396