Colorado Department of Labor and Employment
What’s Working: As federal unemployment ends in 7 weeks, Colorado businesses are optimistic about their pandemic recovery
Department of Labor reveals how many unemployment accounts are on hold, businesses still struggle to find workers and a CU business school report finds that sales are back to pre-pandemic levels at half of businesses surveyed
Colorado sees claims for unemployment benefits double in June. Officials suspect fraud.
State steps up review of fraud as 26 other states end some or all federal unemployment benefits early. Colorado labor officials believe the increase is from folks in those other states.
Colorado farmworkers could get easier access to medical care under new “bill of rights”
Agricultural workers living in employer-owned housing can have trouble getting health care. It’s a symptom of bigger gaps in worker protections that the pandemic spotlighted, say proponents of a newly passed Colorado bill for farmworker rights.
Unemployed Coloradans want work that pays a livable wage as employers struggle to fill openings
The restaurant industry in particular is finding it difficult to hire help, but economists say the labor shortage is more of a pandemic blip in an economy already facing a tight labor market before COVID-19 struck.
What’s Working: More Coloradans are working or looking for work now than before the pandemic
Unemployment is still high with the state’s unemployment rate stuck at 6.4%. Also: Frontline stories on labor shortage vs. meager pay, a $3,000 job incentive and last call for SBA COVID relief programs.
Colorado is offering up to $1,600 to people on unemployment who find a full-time job
The bonus pay is meant to help small businesses that say they can’t find enough employees. But for unemployed workers to qualify, they must meet several criteria.
Colorado will pay federal unemployment benefits until they expire in September
Governors in 21 other states say they’re ending federal benefits as early as June citing labor shortages — but others say the current job market is much more complex.
What’s Working: How ID.me navigates face masks and social engineering to battle Colorado unemployment fraud
Plus: The state Department of Labor and Employment is cracking down on unemployed workers who don’t show up for job interviews or respond to job offers.
What’s Working: Why there are at least 2,314 new technology jobs in Colorado
Plus, the latest on federal aid for restaurants and entertainment venues, fraud updates, and overpayment issues for the unemployed.
What’s Working: The top occupations hiring in Colorado, plus a job where “you’ll never not be employed”
Occupations with the most number of job openings tell economists one main thing: Those industries are constantly looking for workers.
Unemployment fraudsters have cost Colorado at least $19.37 million
The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment has been able to prevent another $437.16 million in fraudulent claims from being paid out, officials said Friday
Thousands of new openings post to Colorado’s official job board each week. Here’s where they come from.
Not all jobs end up on Connecting Colorado. But finding a job or hiring for one in Colorado will always require a multi-search strategy to suss out who’s qualified and what jobs are legit.
Coloradans face hours-long delays as unemployment ID verification system is required for everyone receiving benefits
As fraud runs rampant, the state is now requiring those who haven’t been verified by the IDme tool to go ahead and do so in order to continue receiving jobless benefits.
Carman: The real question for Jared Polis’ critics: Where’s the beef?
Colorado's state auditor uncovered an accounting fiasco at the state Labor Department, and that should prompt more than mock outrage
What’s Working: Colorado’s job board has 82,000 openings. But are they real?
Plus, training options, new opportunities for small businesses and why calls to the unemployment helpline had just a 5-second wait on Friday.
Colorado’s unemployment system kept inadequate records on who was overpaid or not paid at all, auditor says
The annual financial report said the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment did not provide critical information needed for proper records keeping and oversight.
Colorado’s pandemic job losses not as bad as previously announced
The state revised its December unemployment rate, previously the fourth highest nationwide, to 6.9% from 8.4%. January’s 6.6% unemployment rate puts Colorado as the 16th highest.
What’s Working: A “no gap” Colorado unemployment experience and why Charter increased its minimum wage to $18
MORE: What the new relief bill means to Colorado workers, why 4,000 unemployment accounts are still on hold in Colorado, and updates on 1099s, mixed earners and SEBs.
Colorado labor department will take unemployment system offline to prepare for new federal jobless benefits
As a result, users should not see a payment lapse as they did in December after the last federal relief package passed.
Colorado unemployment office expects “no gap” in payments after Congress passes new relief plan
After an 8-week lapse when the CARES Act ended last year, the Colorado Department of Labor says it believes it can move much faster though some may still see a delay.