Construction Employment Rises For First Time Since June 2007

Payroll employment in the construction industry in March rose by 15,000, seasonally adjusted, the first gain since June 2007, according to federal employment figures released Friday. AGC chief economist Ken Simonson hailed the increase but cautioned it may not be sustained, noting that the industry's unemployment rate dropped slightly but remained more than double the all-industry level. Read the press release here.  The news was covered by the Denver Post and the California Real Estate Journal, among others.