Colo. unemployment rate dips slightly to 9.2 percent in March | News

Colorado labor officials say the state unemployment rate dipped to 9.2 percent in March, as employers added about 500 nonfarm payroll jobs over the month.

The unemployment rate was 9.3 percent in February.

The state labor department said Tuesday that Coloradans are earning slightly more per hour and working slightly more hours per week than a year ago.
It says about 2.44 million Coloradans are working, down from 2.46 million in March 2010, when the unemployment rate was 9 percent. About 246,000 Coloradans are seeking work, up from nearly 244,000 a year ago.

Nationally, the unemployment rate fell to a two-year low of 8.8 percent in March, down from 9.7 percent in March 2010.

Economists say Colorado was late entering the recession and has been behind the nation in recovering.

Associated Press