The U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics’ Job Opening and Labor Turnover Survey shows the construction industry registered 298,000 job openings in May, which is up by 32,000 for the month and up by 76,000 from May 2025. The survey defines a job opening as any unfilled position for which an employer is actively recruiting.
Construction workers were laid off at a faster rate than they quit; the layoff/discharge rate was 2.1% in May, and the quit rate was 1.3%.
“Construction job openings rose to a 10-month high in May,” said Associated Builders and Contractors Chief Economist Anirban Basu. “Unfortunately, that increase likely reflects exceptional demand for certain occupations critical to data center buildouts, like electricians, rather than increased industrywide demand for labor.
“The construction hiring rate fell sharply in May and, at 3.5%, matches February’s all-time low,” Basu continued. “Rising layoff activity and a falling quit rate also suggest that demand for construction labor weakened in May. Despite these signs, contractors remain optimistic about growing their staffing levels, according to ABC’s Construction Confidence Index.”
