The number of newly out-of-work Coloradans has tripled since new COVID restrictions went into effect in mid-November.
More than 32,000 workers filed a claim for regular benefits in the two weeks that ended Nov. 28, while another 21,600 self-employed or gig workers filed for pandemic benefits. That’s about double the number from the two weeks prior, and nearly triple the number from the two weeks before that.
Back on Nov. 17, Gov. Jared Polis introduced new coronavirus red-level restrictions aimed at avoiding a shutdown like the one imposed last spring. More than 20 counties hit the red level within days.
The restaurant industry warned that there would be layoffs and if more restaurants shutter because they’re unable to survive another round of closed dining rooms, the impact could be “tens of thousands of jobs lost,” Laura Shunk, a spokeswoman for the Colorado Restaurant Association, said in an interview at the time.
Last week, the top industries with new job losses were accommodation and food service, which made up 20.2% of all claims, according to the state Department of Labor and Employment.
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