Phil Castle, The Business Times

The latest unemployment rate edged up in Mesa County, but is expected to soon retreat as more people enter the workforce and find jobs.

“There is nothing in current data to raise alarm for the remainder of the year,” said Tabi Britt, employment services supervisor at the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction.

The seasonally unadjusted unemployment rate edged up a tenth of a point to 4.6 percent in February, according to the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment. The rate stood at 4 percent in February 2023.

Labor estimates are delayed at the beginning of the year because of annual revisions to information for the previous year. March estimates are scheduled for publication April 19.

Between January and February 2024, Mesa County payrolls increased 457 to 72,925. The number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work also increased — 166 to 3,553. The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, grew 623 to 76,478.

Over the past year, payrolls decreased 527. The ranks of the unemployed increased 482. The labor force edged down 45.

Britt said the growing number of job orders posted at the Mesa County Workforce Center reflects continued labor demand. “Employers aren’t necessarily having a hard time finding employees. They are being selective as they want to make sure that the person they are hiring is the right fit for the job and their organization. Those looking for work are finding jobs as well. It is the overall consensus from our job seekers that those reaching out to us for job-searching assistance are finding meaningful, long-term employment with benefits.”

Britt said 919 job orders were posted during February, up from 630 for the same month a year ago. A total of 1,885 orders were posted during the first two months of 2024, up from 1,305 for the same period in 2023. Demand remains strongest for positions in the health care, sales, food services, office and transportation sectors.

“We are still seeing a demand from employers looking to fill open positions, and an increasing labor force is promising for our ability to fill those positions,” she said.

Looking ahead, Britt said she expects the monthly unemployment rate to trend downward in spring and summer. “I am anticipating continued growth in Mesa County. It may be slow to moderate depending on the industry. There is great work happening throughout Mesa County to support our business community, and I am eager to see what is in store for the remainder of 2024.”

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates also increased in neighboring Western Colorado counties in February, up three-tenths of a point to 3.7 percent in Garfield County and 4.6 percent in Montrose County and up two-tenths of a point to 5.1 percent in Delta County. The jobless rate remained changed in Rio Blanco County at 4.6 percent.

The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose a tenth of a point to 3.5 percent.

According to the latest results of household surveys, the number of employed people in Colorado decreased 6,000 even as the number of unemployed people increased 4,200.

According to the results of separate business surveys, however, nonfarm payrolls increased 8,500 between January and February with the biggest gains in the educational and health services, construction and professional and business services sectors. Government payrolls grew 2,000.

Over the past year, nonfarm payrolls grew 60,300. Employment increased 18,900 in educational and health services, 10,100 in professional and business services and 8,300 in leisure and hospitality. Those gains offset a loss of  4,400 jobs in the trade, transportation and utilities sector as well as declines of 1,900 in information and 1,600 in manufacturing.

The average workweek for Colorado employees on private, nonfarm payrolls remained unchanged over the last year at 33 hours. Average hourly earnings rose $1.92 to $37.19. That’s a more than 5.4 percent increase.