Author: Nahee Rosso

Construction employment increased by 33,000 jobs in January, with gains concentrated in nonresidential construction, according to an analysis of new government data released today by the Associated General Contractors of America. While January hiring was stronger than expected, contractors remain cautious about prospects for sustained growth in 2026. “It’s encouraging to see solid construction job gains in January after a year of uneven employment,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “But those gains will fade later this year unless policymakers provide greater clarity and stability for infrastructure and energy investment.” Read more.

Just under half of metro areas added construction jobs between December 2024 and December 2025, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of new government employment data. Association officials noted that the construction job growth has stalled in many parts of the country amid contractor worries about lax demand and the ongoing challenge of finding enough workers to hire. “Construction hiring has stalled or declined in a majority of metro areas as owners have put projects on hold,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Nevertheless, most contractors expect it to be as hard or harder…

CONSTRUCTION JOBS INCREASE IN 27 STATES & D.C. BETWEEN SEPTEMBER 2024 & SEPTEMBER 2025; 31 STATES & D.C. ADD CONSTRUCTION JOBS IN SEPTEMBER Texas and New Mexico Have Highest 12-Month Gains, While New York and New Jersey Have the Worst Yearly Declines; Texas and Michigan Top Monthly Gainers; Florida and Mississippi Have the Worst Losses for the Month Construction employment rose in 27 states and the District of Columbia over the past year, and 31 states and D.C. added jobs between August and September, according to an analysis of new federal data released today by the Associated General Contractors of…

Construction spending increased 0.2 percent from July to August as a pickup in multifamily residential building outweighed mixed results for private nonresidential categories, according to an analysis of a new government report that the Associated General Contractors of America released today. Association officials noted that the data, which was delayed by the government shutdown, shows the impacts of economic uncertainty on demand for construction. “Private and public sector construction owners are clearly being impacted by uncertainty about federal funding, material prices, and labor supply,” said Macrina Wilkins, the association’s senior research analyst. “The question is whether the reopening of the…

Please complete the survey by December 15th   AGC of America wants to understand exactly how construction demand, labor shortages, enhanced ICE enforcement and tariffs, among other things, are impacting the construction industry. That is why we are asking contractors to complete the following construction outlook survey that we have prepared. The results from the survey will inform expected market conditions for the coming year in addition to challenges contractors faced in 2025. We are collecting responses between November 4th and December 15th. Results will be posted in early January.

Motorists are almost twice as likely to die in a work zone crash as construction workers according to the results of a new highway work zone study conducted by the Associated General Contractors of America and HCSS. Association officials and contractors said the new data highlights the need for stronger work zone safety laws and better enforcement. And they released a new video urging motorists to slow down and stay alert in work zones during the upcoming busy summer driving season. “Every day tens of thousands of Americans work alongside our highways, often with little more between them and rushing…

The survey will be closing December 13, so the time is now to provide your feedback on how the construction demand, labor shortages and high interest rates are impacting the construction industry. Take a few minutes to complete the survey here. The results from the survey will inform expected market conditions for the coming year in addition to challenges contractors faced in 2024. We are collecting responses between November 6th and December 13th. Results will be posted in early January.  

Before the Congress left for their August recess, House lawmakers passed its first appropriations bill of twelve total that funds the federal government. The House passed (219 – 211) the Military Construction/Veterans Affairs appropriations bill, H.R. 4366. The bill provides $17.47 billion for military construction and $1.6 billion for major and minor VA construction. Meanwhile, the Senate has finished voting the bills out of committee but has yet to pass any appropriations bills on the floor. The Senate is considered more bipartisan in spending levels and policies. Lawmakers will need to pass all twelve appropriations bills by September 30th, or else pass a continuing resolution, a stopgap measure that buys time. Given the short amount of time left, Congress will end up…

On June 17, President Biden signed into law legislation recognizing Juneteenth National Independence Day, June 19, as a legal public holiday. Juneteenth celebrates the end of slavery in the U.S. and commemorates the date in 1865 when the Union army arrived in Galveston, TX, to enforce the Emancipation Proclamation two years after issuance. The new law deems Juneteenth the eleventh “federal holiday” in the nation. The law does not directly impose any obligations on private employers. Rather, the law governs the obligations of the federal government to its own employees. No federal wage-and-hour statute requires purely private employers to give…