Ariz. Construction Lost 900 Jobs in June

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate increased to 10 percent in June 2020, from May 2020, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.  
The national rate decreased to 11.1 percent from 13.3 percent in May. In June 2019, the state had a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.8 percent, and the national was at 3.7 percent. 
The state had a net gain of 19,700 non-farm jobs over the month. “Historically (2010-2019), Nonfarm employment has averaged a loss of 51,600 jobs in June,” the report states. Leisure & Hospitality had the largest net gain with 34,000 jobs, followed by Trade, Transportation & Utilities with a gain of 11,800. Construction lost 900 jobs over the month. 
Trade, Transportation & Utilities took the top spot in job gains from June 2019 to June 2020 with a total of 5,900, while Leisure & Hospitality took the top spot in job losses over the year with 49,400. 
The Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 34,500 jobs in Buildings, which decreased by 100 from May 2020 and decreased by 800 from June 2019. Heavy Construction lost 700 over the month for a total of 20,800 and is up 700 from June 2019. Specialty Trades lost 100 for the month at 114,000, and the segment lost 2,700 over the year. 
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) decreased 900 over the month for a total of 132,700. The June 2019 number was 135,300.  
The Metro Tucson construction jobs gained 100 from May for a total of 18,500 and increased by 500 from June 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 100 over the month for a total of 2,500. Flagstaff, Lake Havasu City-Kingman and Sierra Vista-Douglas remained at 2,300, 3,400 and 1,900 respectively for the month. Prescott gained 300 over the month for a total of 6,500.