Construction Employment Rises by 38,000 in December and 280,000 in 2018; Hourly Pay Jumps 3.9 Percent, Unemployment Rate Falls to 5.1 Percent
Construction employment increased by 38,000 jobs in December and by 280,000 jobs, or 4.0 percent, over the past year, while the industry’s average pay accelerated and unemployment decreased to a historic low, according to an analysis of new government data by the Associated General Contractors of America. Association officials added that most contractors report they plan to continue hiring in 2019, according to the association’s annual outlook that was released earlier this week.