Construction employment expanded in 35 states in February as the industry added 48,000 jobs nationally, the largest one-month gain in nearly six years, according to an analysis by the Associated General Contractors of America of Labor Department. Association officials said newly enacted federal budget cuts could reverse the construction employment pickup in numerous states.
“The turnaround in construction hiring that began in a few states two years ago has now spread to most of the country,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “There are strong indications that the expansion will continue for residential and private nonresidential construction, but investment in infrastructure and public buildings is likely to shrink further.”
