Phil Castle, The Business Times

After starting the year with two months of increases, the unemployment rate has retreated in Mesa County with more seasonal hiring.

While the latest rate remains higher than a year ago, job growth should continue, said Tabi Britt, employment services supervisor at the Mesa County Workforce Center in Grand Junction. “I anticipate continued growth moving into the next quarter of 2024.”

The seasonally unadjusted jobless rate in Mesa County fell four-tenths of a point to 4.3 percent in March, according to estimates from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment.
The rate stood at 3.4 percent at this time last year.

Between February and March 2024, Mesa County payrolls increased 117 to 72,955. The number of people counted among those unsuccessfully looking for work decreased 297 to 3,264. The labor force, which includes the employed and unemployed, edged down 180 to 76,219.

Over the past year, payrolls decreased 763. The ranks of the unemployed increased 657. The labor force slipped 106.

Britt said unemployment rates typically spike in January because of post-holiday layoffs and what’s usually inclement winter weather that slows hiring for outdoor work. But jobless rates then trend downward in spring and summer. “One factor that contributes to this trend is an increase in hiring for seasonal industries. Springtime brings warmer weather and typically ramps up hiring in industries like construction.”

Labor demand as measured by the number of job orders posted at the Mesa County Workforce Center remains consistent, Britt said.

The 876 orders posted in March were only three less than the orders posted for the same month last year. A total of 2,761 orders were posted in the first quarter of 2024. That was a 26.4 percent gain over the first quarter of 2023 driven by more postings in January and February of this year, she said. “We typically see a strong increase in March after a slower start to the quarter, but the number of jobs posted in 2024 has been at a consistent high.”

Labor demand was strongest in the construction, food services, health care and retail sectors, she said.

Looking ahead, Britt said she expects the typical labor trends to continue in Mesa County with increased hiring in the spring and summer.

Seasonally unadjusted unemployment rates also declined in neighboring western Colorado counties in March — six-tenths of a point to 4 percent in Montrose County, a half point to 4.6 percent in Delta County, four-tenths of a point to 3.4 percent in Garfield County and 4.2 percent in Rio Blanco County.

The statewide seasonally adjusted unemployment rate rose two-tenths of a point to 3.7 percent.

According to the latest results of household surveys, the number of employed people in Colorado decreased 4,000 between February and March even as the number of unemployed people increased 3,700.

The labor participation rate — the proportion of the population working or looking for work — edged down a tenth of a point. But at 68 percent, the Colorado rate still outpaced the national rate of 62.7 percent.

According to the results of separate business surveys, nonfarm payrolls increased 5,300 as private sector employment increased 2,700 and government employment rose 2,600.

Over the past year, nonfarm payrolls increased 61,200. Employment increased 17,400 in educational and health services, 11,100 in business and professional services and 6,900 in leisure and hospitality. Government payrolls increased 27,700. Those gains more than offset employment declines of 2,400 in construction and 2,100 in information. The trade, transportation and utilities sector shed 3,700 jobs.

The average workweek for Colorado employees on private, nonfarm payrolls shortened four-tenths of an hour over the last year to 32.7 hours. Average hourly earnings increased $2.63 to $37.77.