Colorado economic outlook brightens with strong hiring in April

Strong hiring at hotels restaurants and private wellness care providers contributed to a monthly gain of nonfarm jobs in Colorado in April reversing what had been a sluggish start economically to the year according to an update Friday from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment February recorded a monthly loss of jobs but the gain in March was revised to from the initially stated Those numbers were distorted by a King Soopers strike which eliminated jobs in February and then added a similar number back in March April absent the strike impacts came in at a strong Of the state s industry sectors nine added jobs last month eight lost jobs and one mining was unchanged on a seasonally adjusted basis according to the CDLE review While there is right now uncertainty in the financial system caused by federal policies the uncertainty and volatility in the Colorado labor area existed long before Current federal policies may be exacerbating existing weaknesses in the Colorado labor sector explained Broomfield economist Gary Horvath in an email Accommodation and food facility with jobs added and private wellness care and social assistance with jobs added led the hiring wave Transportation warehousing and utilities were up jobs and executive employment was up by positions Related Articles Local-first online grocer PineMelon closes because of financial challenges Colorado legislature ends with an AI fizzle as delay falters further stoking talk of a special session Colorado economists question the goals approach of U S tariffs Made in USA gives edge to Denver manufacturer but doesn t spare it effects of tariffs Coloradans rally at state capitol against federal cuts and layoffs The biggest monthly declines last month came in administrative patronage and waste management jobs down jobs and retail contract down jobs Annual job gains remain weak at The Colorado job expansion rate of lags behind the U S job expansion rate of but it is an improvement from a gain in March and a decline in February Of the jobs added in the past year were in the private sector and in the population sector The state s unemployment rate remained steady at which is higher than the rate for the U S which also was unchanged The number of unemployed workers increased by last month while the total number of employed which includes the self-employed rose by according to a survey of households Regarding federal layoffs the state has received unemployment proposes from federal workers between Jan and May Horvath revealed That is out of roughly federal workers in the state The bulk of the workers seeking assistance were from Denver El Paso Jefferson and Larimer counties Get more business news by signing up for our Financial system Now newsletter