DENVER—Colorado labor department head Donald Mares (MAR-ess’) says he’s encouraged by recent stability in the state unemployment rate and job growth in the private sector.
He says the challenge now is to sustain that growth.
The department said Friday that the seasonally adjusted Colorado unemployment rate for July held steady at 8 percent. The rate was 8.1 percent in July 2009.
The national rate also was steady, at 9.5 percent in July.
The state labor department says there were about 2.44 million working Coloradans in July, down from about 2.48 million a year ago. About 213,300 Coloradans were unsuccessfully looking for work.
Even when adjusted for seasonal differences, the leisure and hospitality sector added about 3,100 jobs in July.
