DENVER—Colorado’s unemployment rate rose three-tenths of a percentage point to 3.8 percent in July amid limited job growth, state labor economists said Friday.
It was the largest monthly increase in the jobless rate this year, yet the total was below Colorado’s July 2006 rate of 4.4 percent and the nation’s unemployment rate of 4.6 percent last month.
“While the labor force experienced its usual summer increase, job seekers were hampered by modest job growth,” Donald Mares, executive director of the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, said in a statement.
The non-agricultural work force totaled about 2.3 million last month which was about 200 workers fewer than June, according to the department’s seasonally adjusted figures.
Although seven of the 11 industry sectors added jobs, each unit’s total was fewer than 1,000, with the highest increases in trade, transportation, utilities, and professional and business services, the adjusted figures showed.
Job losses were reported in government, information and financial services while manufacturing was unchanged. Mares said seasonal cuts caused by the summer recess of public schools contributed to some of the loss.
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Colorado Department of Labor and Employment:
