With approximately 57,000 federal workers in Colorado, many may be eligible for various support through Colorado’s Statewide Workforce System
DENVER – The Colorado Department of Labor and Employment (CDLE) in partnership with the Statewide Workforce System is prepared to support Colorado’s federal civilian workforce impacted by recent restructuring and both voluntary and involuntary layoffs. There are roughly 57,000 federal workers in Colorado.
“The State of Colorado is prepared to support Coloradans impacted by federal job cuts. Colorado’s strong economy is supported by a dedicated state workforce, and I encourage impacted federal workers to join us in building a Colorado For All,” said Colorado Governor Jared Polis.
“Together with the Statewide Workforce System and our Unemployment Insurance Division, we are prepared to help Colorado’s skilled and competent federal workforce navigate any potential period of joblessness,” said CDLE Executive Director Joe Barela. “CDLE is committed to supporting individuals with a variety of workforce development support to ensure all Coloradans can continue to thrive and prosper.”
CDLE has information posted on its website related to reemployment support and unemployment insurance including what is required to file a claim for impacted federal workers. Impacted federal workers can file their claims online at coloradoui.gov.
If a federal worker continues to receive payment from their federal employer related to a resignation, they will need to report this income and may not be eligible for unemployment benefit payments during those weeks. These workers will have the option to upload a copy of the letter they received about the Deferred Resignation during the claim filing process. More information on what to select as the appropriate reason for being out of work is available to federal workers on CDLE’s Resources for Federal Workers page.
All workers experiencing a period of joblessness are encouraged to take advantage of the resources and programs available through the Statewide Workforce System to support them on their career journeys. Workforce centers across the state are available to support job seekers via personal job search support and coaching, resume development, interview preparation, and a variety of activities including job fairs, hiring events, workshops and training opportunities.
Connecting Colorado, the state’s labor exchange, currently has more than 60,000 job openings posted. The State of Colorado also has nearly 500 open positions at various State agencies and institutions. Federal workers are encouraged to explore careers with the State of Colorado and consider the State’s employee benefits: PERA retirement benefits, medical and dental plans, eleven paid holidays per year plus vacation and sick leave, and a variety of work-life programs, such as flexible schedules, training and more.
For those that are eligible for unemployment benefits, there is a mandatory one-week waiting period before a claim is activated. Workers may not file their claim until their last day of work. CDLE’s Unemployment Insurance (UI) Division has the following resources available for new UI claimants:
- The UI Claimant Guide steps out all parts of the UI process including filing, weekly payment requests/certifications, benefit amounts, and more.
- The UI Quick Guide is an easy reminder of what claimants need to do to get started and maintain their benefits.
- The Maintaining Your UI Eligibility Page steps out all the requirements to maintain eligibility and receive benefits weekly.
- Most of the claim process can be handled through MyUI+, which now has a claim status tracker for claimants to monitor the status of their claim. For additional assistance, claimants can Contact the Unemployment Insurance Division.
###