Press Releases

Press Release: Colorado Employment Situation – October 2020

Employers in Colorado added 21,100 nonfarm payroll jobs from September to October for a total of 2,688,100 jobs, according to the survey of business establishments. Private sector payroll jobs increased by 22,000. Government shed 900 jobs in October, with the majority of those losses attributable to the end of the 2020 Census campaign and related temporary jobs. Since May, Colorado has gained back 217,000 of the 342,300 nonfarm payroll jobs lost between February and April. That translates to a job recovery rate of 63.4 percent, which exceeds the U.S. rate of 54.5 percent.

Press Release: 7,483 Regular Initial UI Claims Filed For The Week Ending November 7

(DENVER) -- Today the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) reported that 7,483 regular initial unemployment claims were filed the week ending November 7th. There were also 7,281 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims filed for the same week. Given the large increase in PUA initial claims over the last couple weeks, CDLE is conducting a review to determine what issues may be contributing to the increase, including a deep-dive fraud analysis (updates on this analysis will be shared in the next weekly release). Since mid-March, a total of 601,964 regular unemployment initial claims have been filed and a grand total of 785,692 claims, including federal PUA benefits.*  

Press Release: Colorado Apprenticeship Awards Highlight Importance to Economies and Communities

Denver -- On Tuesday, November 10, individuals and organizations dedicated to the advancement of apprenticeships were honored at the third annual Colorado Apprenticeship Awards, a virtual event hosted by the Business Experiential Learning (BEL) Commission and included leadership from the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment, the Colorado Department of Higher Education, the Colorado Department of Education, the Colorado Office of Economic Development and International Trade, CareerWise Colorado, the Colorado Community College System, and the Colorado Workforce Development Council.

Press Release: 7,116 Regular Initial UI Claims Filed For The Week Ending October 31st

(DENVER) -- Today the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) reported that 7,116 regular initial unemployment claims were filed the week ending October 31st. There were also 3,625 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims filed for the same week. Since mid-March, a total of 594,481 regular unemployment initial claims have been filed and a grand total of 770,928 claims, including federal PUA benefits.*  For the week ending October 24th, a combined total of 207,795 continued claims were filed, including 96,078 from regular UI, 63,229 from PUA, and 48,488 from Pandemic Emergency Unemployment Compensation.** 

Press Release: Shining Stars Award Winners Highlight Importance of Disability Employment

The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) and its Division of Vocational Rehabilitation (DVR) have announced the winners of their annual Shining Stars of Disability Employment Awards, an event designed to honor individuals and employers who demonstrate exceptional efforts in the recruitment, hiring, retention, and advancement of people with disabilities.

Press Release: 6,031 Regular Initial UI Claims Filed For The Week Ending October 24th

(DENVER) -- Today the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) reported that 6,031 regular initial unemployment claims were filed the week ending October 24th. There were also 2,554 Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) claims filed for the same week. Since mid-March, a total of 587,365 regular unemployment initial claims have been filed and a grand total of 760,187 claims, including federal PUA benefits.* 

Statistics

Unemployment Rate - May 2026
Colorado: 3.9%
National: 4.3%

Colorado Job Growth (Seasonally Adjusted)
April 2026 - May 2026: -400
May 2025 - May 2026: 100

2026 Minimum Wage
$15.16 / Hour
$12.14 / Hour for tipped employees

Contact Us

Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
707 17th Street, Suite 150*
Denver, CO  80202-3660
Phone: 303-318-8000

Customer Service Center
707 17th Street, Suite 150*
Denver, CO 80202

*The CDLE Lobby entrance is on the northeast corner of the building facing 18th Street just north of the Starbucks that’s inside the Hilton.

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