Construction employment rose year-over-year in 34 states, as well as in Washington, DC, in December, according to data recently released by the Bureau of Labor Statistics. Employment numbers were unchanged in Maine and declined in 15 states. In Texas, 15,700 jobs were added, the highest of any state, while California saw the sharpest decline, with a loss of 19,800 jobs.
“While most states added construction employees over the year, employment has stagnated in the past month,” Ken Simonson, chief economist for the Associated General Contractors of America, said in a statement. “Too many projects have been postponed or canceled due to lack of funding, funding costs or political uncertainty over tariffs and immigration enforcement.”
Monthly, employment increased in 20 states between November and December, with Arizona seeing the largest number of new jobs. At the other end of the spectrum, construction employment fell in 26 states, with Minnesota leading the decline. Job numbers in Alaska, Arkansas, Colorado and Pennsylvania showed no change.
Jeffrey D. Shoaf, CEO of AGC, attributed the drop in employment to a decrease in funding for highway projects. “Contractors need to know that highway funds will continue to flow before they can commit to hiring or retaining essential workers,” Shoaf said. “It is imperative that the Trump administration and Congress provide that certainty by working now on the details of the upcoming surface transportation bill.”
