Colorado Employment Situation | November 2015

Total nonfarm payroll jobs declined 2,100 from October to November to 2,528,400 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs decreased 1,700 and government decreased 400.

According to the survey of households, the unemployment rate decreased two-tenths of a percentage point in November to 3.6 percent. The number of people actively participating in the labor force increased 4,300 to 2,811,600 and total employment increased 8,000 to 2,709,600 causing the number of unemployed to decrease 3,700 and the unemployment rate to decline to 3.6 percent. The national unemployment rate remained unchanged from October to November at 5.0 percent.

Over the year, the average workweek for all employees on private nonfarm payrolls decreased from 34.4 to 34.1 hours and average hourly earnings increased from $26.66 to $27.32.

The largest over the month private sector job gains were in construction and leisure and hospitality. The largest over the month declines were in professional and business services, financial activities, and other services.

Over the year, nonfarm payroll jobs increased 44,200 with an increase of 40,200 in the private sector and an increase of 4,000 in government. The largest private sector job gains were in leisure and hospitality, education and health services, and construction. The largest private sector job declines were in information, trade, transportation, and utilities, and mining.

Over the year, the unemployment rate is down seven-tenths of a percentage point from 4.3 percent and is at the lowest level since June 2007. The number of Coloradans participating in the labor force decreased 12,000, total employment increased 7,600, and the number of unemployed decreased 19,600. The national unemployment rate declined from 5.8 percent in November 2014 to 5.0 in November 2015.

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