Construction employment in June remained below the pre-pandemic levels of February 2020 in 39 states, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America. New York and Wyoming suffered the worst losses, while Utah and Idaho added the most construction jobs. New York, Vermont and Iowa had the biggest declines in June. Georgia and Kentucky were the top gainers. AGC officials put the blame on supply chain shortages and rising material prices, which are undermining demand for new projects and impacting construction firms’ ability to hire workers. “The construction industry is a long way from full recovery in most states, in spite of a hot homebuilding market in many areas,” said Ken Simonson, AGC chief economist. “Soaring materials costs, long production times for key items and delayed deliveries are causing owners to postpone projects.” READ FULL REPORT >>
