Construction employment increased in 43 states and the District of Columbia in September from a year earlier, while 28 states and D.C. added construction employees from August to September, according to a new analysis of federal employment data released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials said the month-over-month dips in construction employment in some parts of the country were likely caused by firms struggling to find enough workers to replace retiring ones amid labor shortages.
“The construction industry continues to add employees nearly everywhere on a year-over-year basis,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But contractors are struggling to fill openings quickly, which means many states experience short-term dips in employment from month to month.”
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