Mass layoffs in Colorado in July declined 50 percent from July 2010, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics said today.
Mass layoffs – defined as at least 50 employees – numbered 16 in July 2010 and 8 in July 2011, the agency said.
Seven of the eight were in the private sector which resulted in 542 initial claimants for unemployment. The eighth was a governmental layoff which resulted in 162 initial claimants for unemployment.
Three of the eight mass layoffs in Colorado in July were in retail trade resulting in 208 initial claims for unemployment insurance.
There were also mass layoffs in public administration, health care and social assistance, administrative and waste services and manufacturing.
Because of strict confidentiality regulations, the federal government is not allowed to give out information that would identify employers, agency spokesmen said.
In recent months, the number of mass layoffs in Colorado has been trending lower.
There were 10 in May and 9 in June.
According to the report, there were 1,552 initial claimants applying for unemployment insurance in Colorado as a result of the 16 mass layoffs in July 2010 compared to 704 initial claimants in July 2010.
Nationwide, employers took 1,579 mass layoff actions in July involving 145,000 workers, seasonally adjusted.
The number of mass layoffs nationwide in July increased by 47, or 3 percent, from June, and the number of associated initial claims increased by 1,556, or 1 percent in July.
In July, 342 mass layoffs were reported in the manufacturing sector, seasonally adjusted, resulting in 35,460 initial claims.
Howard Pankratz: 303-954-1939 or hpankratz@denverpost.com.
