By Roland Murphy for AZBEX
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate was unchanged from December to January, remaining at 4.2%, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.
The national unemployment rate was also unchanged month-to-month at 3.7%. Last December, Arizona had a seasonally adjusted rate of 3.7%, while the national rate was 3.4%.
The Construction sector lost 2,500 jobs around the state from December through January.
Arizona had a not-seasonally adjusted loss of 38,3100 jobs in nonfarm employment in November. “Prior to the pandemic (2010-2019), NSA nonfarm employment lost 51,000 jobs on average in January,” the report states.
The private sector shed 36,800 jobs over the month, led by Trade, Transportation & Utilities losing 14,600 and Leisure & Hospitality dropping 5,600. Government lost 1,500 in January.
Ten of the 11 sectors tracked reported decreases in December. No sector gained jobs, but Natural Resources & Mining was unchanged. Year-over-year, eight of the 11 sectors reported gains, including Construction’s addition of 12,700 jobs.
It should be noted the January report marks the “yearly reset” to employment data known as “benchmarking.” According to the report notice, “Prior to the release of January estimates each year, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics Current Employment Statistics Program revises monthly historical employment estimates. These monthly estimates are revised using detailed and highly accurate data produced through the Office of Economic Opportunity’s Quarterly Census of Employment and Wages program. QCEW data provides a quarterly count of all employment subject to unemployment insurance tax law. This covers approximately 98% of total U.S. jobs. Information on the remaining 2% of employment is obtained from other sources, and the QCEW data is adjusted to obtain a count of total employment within the state.”
For the Construction sector, pre- and post-benchmark data showed 193,500 and 196,300 jobs, respectively. For 2023, the benchmarked job estimates changed from 199,100 pre-benchmark to 211,900 post.
Construction Employment
Statewide construction employment totals 215,600 jobs. In January 2023, the sector reported 202,900.
The Arizona Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 45,900 jobs in Buildings, which is up 100 from December and up 2,700 from January 2023. Heavy Construction lost 400 for the month, for a total of 25,400, but added 2,400 over the year. Specialty Trades lost 2,200 over the month for a total of 144,300, and the segment gained 7,600 year-over-year.
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) fell 2,300 over the month for a total of 171,900. The January 2023 number was 161,000. Metro Tucson dropped 100 construction jobs over the month at 20,900, which is an increase of 1,200 year-over-year.
Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas combine Mining and Construction jobs in reporting their job sector totals. Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott and Lake Havasu City-Kingman were all unchanged. Yuma reported 3,700; Flagstaff had 3,000; Prescott saw 7,200, and Lake Havasu City-Kingman reported 4,700. Sierra Vista-Douglas fell 100, reporting 2,100 Construction jobs for the month.