Construction employment grew by 44,000 jobs in January, but the industry’s jobless rates for the month marked an increase from December, according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS).
The gain in the construction workforce pushed total employment up by 142,000 jobs for the 12-month period ending January 31. All construction segments posted increases in January, led by specialty contractors, which saw employment increase by 35,000 jobs.
Construction’s jobless rate rose nearly half a percentage point to 5.4% in January. Despite the increase, the jobeless rate is a significant improvement from the year-earlier level of 6.4%. The BLS’s unemployment rates aren’t adjusted for seasonal differences, likely causing a skew in winter months for the construction industry when project activity slows down.
Construction wages rose by $0.87 per hour, or 2.9%, year-over-year in January to an average of $31.19.