Back in Business? Construction Jobs in CA See Largest Increase Among All States for Oct-Nov.
California’s construction jobs were particularly hit hard by the recession and the poor economy. But there is good news to be had, as the industry has posted a job gain of 7,800 positions over October and November. In fact, such a job gain has helped to boost the state’s overall employment levels and California has posted a construction increase that topped all other states during the same time period. The Associated General Contractors of America released the analysis and Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist, stated that “It is encouraging that the number of states adding jobs year-over-year was higher in November than at any time since February 2008. However, the data also make clear that these gains are as spotty as they are tenuous.” Notably, while California had positive gains, it also had the largest 12-month drop—36,900 jobs, or 6.4 percent. A press released about the association’s analysis states:
“In all, 36 states lost construction jobs over the past 12 months, while construction employment was unchanged in Massachusetts. Association officials cautioned that construction employment figures were likely to fluctuate and possibly drop over the coming months as many stimulus-funded projects begin to wind down and private-sector demand remains weak. They added that newly passed legislation that prevented steep tax increases, including for many small construction firms, will help boost overall economic activity and could drive new demand for construction later next year. ‘The tax bill is a step in the right direction because it will revitalize the economy and help boost private-sector construction demand,’ said Stephen E. Sandherr, the association’s chief executive officer. ‘But Congress still needs to act on long-delayed infrastructure bills and provide businesses with relief from an increasingly costly regulatory burden.’”