Hundreds of federal workers file unemployment claims in Colorado
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More than 600 federal workers in Colorado have filed for unemployment since the Trump administration began purging the government workforce, Axios Denver has learned.
Why it matters: The number demonstrates how job cuts at the federal level, prompted by DOGE and its leader Elon Musk, are playing out on the ground.
By the numbers: The largest number of the unemployment claims came from the Agriculture and Treasury departments, each of which counted more than 100, according to data collected by the Colorado Department of Labor and Employment since Jan. 19.
- The Department of the Interior and National Park Service accounted for 39 claims, followed by 28 from the Department of Veterans Affairs.
- Most claims came from Denver, Jefferson and Larimer counties.
Caveat: The claims figure is likely an underestimate of the total layoffs in the state, officials say, given the application hurdles and complaints about the unemployment system.
- The Trump administration fired thousands of employees citing poor job performance, which can impede receiving benefits.
- Others are in limbo with buyouts and agencies rehiring some positions.
The big picture: Colorado is prepared for a more significant hit given that 57,000 federal government employees call Colorado home and the Denver metro has the second largest concentration outside the Washington, D.C., area.
- The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment mobilized quickly to respond to the terminations and partnered with local workforce centers, following its COVID-19 playbook, deputy executive director Cher Haavind tells us.
- The state is coordinating with local elected officials and scheduling its own town halls to reach former federal workers — and existing ones who are worried about their jobs.
What they're saying: "Our goal is … what we can do to help them to get them back in the workforce," Haavind says, noting the state's job board shows more than 60,000 open jobs.
The intrigue: Gov. Jared Polis appealed to former federal workers to join the state government's ranks, citing 500 open positions at agencies, echoing the sentiment of other states and major cities.