California construction employment, monthly change. (Source: St. Louis Fed)
The novel coronavirus hammered the state’s construction industries in early March.
California has 885,300 construction workers — No. 1 nationally — but was down 11,600 jobs in March, according to a study by Associated General Contractors of America. That was the third-largest statewide drop since 2010 and the No. 1 drop nationally. Jobs declined in 20 states in March, according to the trade group.
On a percentage basis, that’s a 1.29% drop — No. 3 worst among the states. The rankings were derived from federal job stats compiled from employer surveys taken in the first two weeks of a month.
Construction is an “essential” business and can operate with modest limitations amid the pandemic. But many projects, from private industry and government, have been put on hold due to financial issues from the economic slowdown or questions about future demand for developments underway.
The industry had been a growth business in California. Employment is still up 9,800 workers in the past 12 months, the No. 4 expansion among the states. But the 1.12% growth rate for the year is ranked only 30th nationally.
Construction was roughly 1-in-9 lost jobs statewide last month. California officially lost 99,500 jobs in March, the worst drop in the nation.
Federal job stats show jobs fell in 31 states in March with Texas (down 50,900 jobs) and New York (41,700) showing the next-biggest declines.
