Oil and gas woes leave Greeley lagging in jobs recovery

DENVER — Colorado last month exceeded the pre-pandemic job totals recorded in March 2020, but that recovery has been uneven with areas such as Greeley — heavily reliant on the oil and gas industry — lagging behind.

Overall, the state has 107% of the jobs that existed prior to the COVID-19 outbreak. That recovery rate “substantially outpaces the U.S. recovery rate of around 93%” and is good for 11th nationwide, Colorado Department of Labor and Employment senior economist Ryan Gedney said Friday upon the state’s release of its February 2022 employment data. 

The Fort Collins/Loveland metropolitan statistical area leads…