Construction hiring numbers in December reached their lowest levels since April 2020, according to the recent published Statistics Office of the Labor Statistics Office and the Labor Billing Survey. (Jolts). The number of open positions at the end of December was estimated at 217,000, a decrease of 55,000 jobs from November 2024. In comparison, the number of open positions in December marks a 50% fall of 434,000 jobs. Available in December 2023.
“Despite these signs of weak demand for work, both layoffs and abandonments are still extremely low according to historical standards,” said Anirban Basu, associated builders and contractors (ABC) in a statement. “The weak demand for construction labor may be the effect of the cold climate and the slowdown of activity during the transition between the presidential administrations.”
However, BASU does not expect this trend to continue. According to the ABC trust index, construction companies plan to add staff next year, “suggesting that hiring could be collected in the first half of 2025,” he says.
