Phil Castle, The Business Times

The monthly unemployment rate remains unchanged in Mesa County even as labor demand remains strong, especially in the health care sector.

The labor force continues to grow, positioning the county well for the year ahead, said Curtis Englehart, director of the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction. “I’m hopeful we can keep up this momentum.”

The seasonally unadjusted jobless rate remained unchanged between October and November at 4.7 percent, according to the latest estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.

The jobless rate has dropped more than three points since January with declines in eight out of the last 10 months. At this time last year, the rate stood at 6.7 percent.

Between October and November, Mesa County payrolls increased 127 to 73,896. The number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work also rose — 40 to 3,639. The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, increased 167 to 77,535. 

Compared to a year ago, payrolls increased 1,668 even as the ranks of the unemployed decreased 1,557. The workforce edged up 111 for a fifth consecutive month of year-over-year gains.

Englehart said lower jobless rates in recent months more accurately reflect labor market conditions.

Labor demand as measured by the number of job orders posted at the Mesa County Workforce Center, continues to increase, he said.

For November, 1,102 orders were posted, a nearly 61 percent increase over the same month a year ago. Through November, 10,788 orders were posted in 2021. That’s an 80 percent increase over the same span in 2020 as well as a 46 percent increase over the same period in 2019.

Englehart said the volume of job orders has increased to the highest level he’s seen in the five years he’s worked as director.

While job orders are spread out among most industry sectors, the majority come from health care, he said. “It’s a dire need right now.”

Englehart encouraged students and retirees considering working part-time to apply for positions in health care and help fill that need. They can call the Mesa County Workforce Center at 248-7560 to talk with an employment specialist.

Looking ahead, Englehart said he expects the jobless rate to hold steady or perhaps decline slightly for December. He also expects the typical spike in the rate in January, then a gradual decline in 2022.

Between October and November, seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates increased in neighboring Western Colorado counties — a half point to 4.6 percent in Rio Blanco County, four-tenths of a point to 4.4 percent in Delta County, three-tenths of a point to 4.3 percent in Montrose County and a tenth of a point to 4.2 percent in Garfield County.

The state seasonally adjusted jobless rate fell three-tenths of a point to 5.1 percent as nonfarm payrolls grew 9,800.

Over the past year, nonfarm payrolls increased 117,500 with the biggest gains in the leisure and hospitality; professional and business services; and trade, transportation and utilities sectors. Construction employment declined 1,400.

Over the past 19 months, Colorado has regained 322,000 of the 375,800 jobs lost between February and April 2020 at the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic and related restrictions.

The average workweek for employees on private nonfarm payrolls shortened 1.2 hours over the past year to 33.1 hours. Average hourly earning increased $1.78 to $33.05.