The number of construction industry employment openings decreased from 3,000 to April monthly, according to the Office of Labor Office of Labor Statistics in the United States and the Labor turnover survey (JOLTS).
“The construction labor market remained unusually slow in April,” said Anirban Basu, a chief economist in associated builders and contractors, in a statement. “The rates of hiring, layoffs and outputs are low according to historical standards and work openings throughout the industry have dropped by 45% since they reached a maximum historical one in December 2023”.
The total number of openings reached 248,000, 78,000, or 23.9% since April 2024. Contracts have increased by 6.1% in the same period, while layoffs have increased by 15% and the number of abandonment of 19.7%.
Despite the “stagnant” and other economic challenges, Basu said, “approximately 57% of contractors are intended to increase staff levels for the next six months,” according to the ABC construction confidence index.
