Construction Layoffs Fall to Record Low as Contractors Struggle to Fill 251,000 Open Jobs

U.S. construction contractors laid off 99,000 workers in August, a nearly 46% decline from a year ago and the lowest level since the Bureau of Labor Statistics began tracking job openings in December 2000, according to Anirban Basu, chief economist at Associated Builders and Contractors. The BLS reported 251,000 open construction jobs at the end of August — up 38,000 year over year but down 48,000 month over month — with 2.9% of all positions unfilled, the highest share since March. Construction unemployment stood at a record-low 3.1% in August. Basu attributed the divergence to weakness in residential building alongside booming data center activity, creating scarcity in skilled trades such as electricians and HVAC workers. Nonresidential builders signaled they would likely add staff over the next six months, and Basu predicted labor costs will continue to surge. Macrina Wilkins of the Associated General Contractors of America said contractors remain eager to maintain headcounts but struggle to match openings with qualified workers amid heightened immigration enforcement.