Colorado saw another intense week of job news with several examples of what’s working and what’s really not. As 230,000 out-of-work residents clamored to reopen their unemployment accounts on Monday, there was joy and pain, relief and frustration, clogged support lines and some who gave up and then got paid anyway. My conclusion: Nothing makes […]
What's Working
Posted inBusiness, Economy, News
What’s Working: Colorado unemployment system getting rebuilt, new round of Paycheck Protection loans start Monday
Everyone is crossing their fingers that the technology overhaul underway to update the Colorado unemployment computer system will be completed successfully by Sunday. Blame the pandemic for the nine-months-ish long delay. The new tech was supposed to be installed in April, but was postponed when the state realized it had to implement a new system […]
Posted inBusiness, Economy
What’s Working: Colorado resources for the unemployed, those in need or those who’d like to support them
It was another roller coaster week for unemployed America that saw hope as the week began after Congress agreed to extend jobless benefits into the new year but then came to a screeching halt. Those benefits went from an extra 16 weeks down to 11, but the agreement on the new federal relief bill granted […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
What’s Working: Two weeks until the end of unemployment benefits for 150,000 Coloradans and counting
This was an extra bad week for Coloradans who lost their jobs at the start of the pandemic. We just ended week 39 — the maximum number of weeks one is eligible for unemployment pay currently. Last spring, ski and resort workers were the first to be impacted by Gov. Jared Polis’ March 14 order […]
Posted inBusiness, News, Politics and Government
What’s Working: Will Colorado become the nation’s precedent for extended unemployment benefits?
In the potpourri of Colorado unemployment news this week, here’s what happened: State Extended Benefits ended Saturday. Colorado’s legislature passed a bill to reinstate the extended benefits through the end of the year. (More below) Someone at the Department of Labor let the internet domain expire for the page unemployed workers go to request payments. […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News
What’s Working: Why nearly 100,000 out-of-work Coloradans were excluded from an unemployment benefit that is now ending early
Several questions came in this week asking about why a program offering an extra 13 weeks of unemployment benefits is ending four weeks early. Stop reading if you’re on Pandemic Unemployment Assistance (PUA) because this doesn’t impact you (although, don’t forget, PUA benefits end Dec. 26). But read on if you’re on regular unemployment, Pandemic […]
Posted inBusiness, COVID, News, Politics and Government
What’s Working: Minimum wage going to $12.32, plus how new COVID restrictions (and fraud?) has doubled unemployment
The number of new weekly unemployment cases has been inching higher for weeks with the latest number now double what it was in late September. That tracks to the rising number of COVID-19 cases in Colorado and resulting local business restrictions. But the sudden uptick has the state Department of Labor and Employment wondering whether […]