Ariz. Construction Lost 4,200 Jobs in April

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 12.6 percent in April 2020, from March 2020, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.  
The national rate increased to 14.7 percent from 4.4 percent in March. In April 2019, the state had a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.8 percent, and the national was at 3.6 percent. 
The state had a net loss of 283,300 non-farm jobs over the month. “Historically (2010-2019), Nonfarm employment has averaged a gain of 8,700 jobs in April,” the report states. Of the 11 sectors tracked Natural Resources & Mining was the only sector with a net employment gain with 100 jobs for the month. Leisure & Hospitality had the largest net loss with 122,600 jobs, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities with a loss of 57,400. Construction lost 4,200 jobs over the month. 
Natural Resources & Mining in Arizona took the top spot in job gains from April 2019 to April 2020 with a total of 500, while Leisure & Hospitality took the top spot in job losses over the year with 126,300. Construction lost 500 over the year. 
The Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 35,000 jobs in Buildings, which decreased by 1,700 from March 2020 and increased 600 from April 2019. Heavy Construction lost 100 over the month for a total of 20,900 and is up 1,200 from April 2019. Specialty Trades decreased 2,400 for the month at 112,400, and the segment lost 2,300 over the year. 
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) decreased 2,200 over the month for a total of 134,500. The April 2019 number was 133,000.  
The Metro Tucson construction jobs lost 900 from March for a total of 17,000 and increased by 600 from April 2019. 
Yuma, Flagstaff, Prescott, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas combine Construction and Natural Resources jobs in reporting their job sector totals. Yuma lost 400 for a total of 2,700, Flagstaff lost 100 for a total of 2,200, Lake Havasu City-Kingman lost 300 for a total of 3,100 and Sierra Vista-Douglas lost 200 for a total of 1,700 jobs for the month. Prescott gained 100 jobs for the month for a total of 6,400.