Texas Add the Most Jobs; Association Survey Indicates Losses will Spread
Construction employment declined in 99 out of 358 metro areas from March 2019 to last month as the coronavirus pandemic triggered the first shutdown orders and project cancellations, according to an analysis released by the Associated General Contractors of America today. Association officials urged federal and state officials to boost investments in infrastructure to help put more people to work amid rising unemployment levels.
“These new figures foreshadow even larger declines in construction employment throughout the country as the pandemic’s economic damage grows more severe,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Unfortunately, the data for April and later months are sure to be much worse. In our latest survey, more than one-third of firms report they had furloughed or terminated workers—a direct result of growing cancellations