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Only Eight States Top February Peak In Construction Employment Despite Gains In 32 States Last Month; More Losses Loom Without Loan Renewal

California and Vermont Post Worst Losses since February as Virginia and South Dakota Add the Most;Illinois and Iowa Have Worst One-Month Job Losses, While New York and Vermont Post Biggest Gains

Only eight states and the District of Columbia have recouped the severe pandemic-induced losses of construction jobs that occurred last spring, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of government employment data released today. Association officials warned that job losses will become even more widespread unless lawmakers promptly renew and expand the loan program that enabled firms to temporarily retain and rehire many workers.

“New spikes in coronavirus cases, along with ongoing pandemic-related costs and revenue losses, are causing ever more private owners, developers, and public agencies to delay and cancel projects,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Although single-family homebuilding is gathering steam, multifamily and nonresidential construction activity has stalled, leaving large numbers of workers at risk of losing their jobs as current projects finish up with nothing on the horizon.”

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