Colorado’s unemployment rate in February remained unchanged from January at 6.6%, even as the state eased COVID-19 pandemic restrictions on businesses early in the month.

First-time Colorado unemployment claims edge higher

While 1,900 more people found jobs than returned to Colorado’s job market, that wasn’t enough to push the state’s jobless rate lower, the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment reported Friday. The unemployment data comes from a survey of households that was completed during the second week of February, after state officials moved El Paso County and many other counties to a lower level of restrictions.

Ryan Gedney, the department’s senior economist, said during an online briefing Friday that extremely cold weather during part of the week of the survey might have hindered hiring. He said the state’s job market likely will recover further as the weather warms and as the state loosens COVID-related restrictions, which are scheduled to be turned over to local officials in mid-April. One reason Colorado’s unemployment remains higher than the national average, he said, is that unemployed workers have returned to the job market faster than in other states.

Colorado jobless claims tick downward again

Tatiana Bailey, director of the University of Colorado at Colorado Springs Economic Forum, said she anticipates a steady drop in the state’s unemployment rate this summer as the economy continues to reopen.

The unemployment rate in the Colorado Springs area also remained unchanged at 7.1%, while the rate in the Denver area fell to 6.9% in February from 7% in January. Among other metro areas in the state, jobless rates fell in Boulder, Fort Collins and Grand Junction but remained unchanged in Greeley and Pueblo. Huerfano County had the highest rate among counties at 10.5%, while Baca and Cheyenne counties had the lowest at 3%.

Colorado unemployment rate falls as restrictions loosen

A separate survey of employers showed Colorado added 5,200 payroll jobs in February with hotels and restaurants adding nearly 10,000 jobs and education and health care adding 2,200 jobs. Job losses in the business and professional services sector totaled 2,900, followed by government at 1,700 and financial services at 1,100. Statewide employment is still down 156,700 from a year ago, with nearly half of the job losses in hotels and restaurants.

The nation’s unemployment fell in February to 6.2% from 6.3% in January. March unemployment and payroll data for Colorado and other states are scheduled for release April 16.

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Contact Wayne Heilman 636-0234 Facebook www.facebook.com/wayne.heilman Twitter twitter.com/wayneheilman