Construction Employment Declined in 31 States Between July 2011 and 2012

Construction employment declined in 31 states from July 2011 to July 2012 and in 28 states in the past month, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department data. Association officials noted that construction employment decreased in the majority of states as public construction funding continues to shrink, offsetting gains in homebuilding and nonresidential construction. "Public construction cuts in particular are taking their toll on construction employment in many parts of the country," said Ken Simonson, the association's chief economist. "With economic growth remaining sluggish, there is a chance construction employment will begin to slip in even more places." Read the full press release here. News was covered by local TV and radio stations, Boston Globe,  Reuters, Memphis Commercial Appeal, The Murfreesboro Post, Dallas Morning News, Maryland Gazette, GoLocalWorcester, The Business Review of Albany, Birmingham Business Journal, Charleston Regional Business Journal, Charlotte Business Journal, Columbus Business First, Louisville Business First, Memphis Business Journal, San Antonio Business Journal, Triangle Business Journal, Wichita Business Journal, and The Daily Reporter.