Arizona Construction Lost 5,100 Jobs in December

By Tasha Anderson for AZBEX 
Arizona’s seasonally adjusted unemployment rate decreased to 7.5 percent in December 2020, from November 2020, according to the latest report published by the Arizona Office of Economic Opportunity.  
The national rate remained at 6.7 percent from November. In December 2019, the state had a seasonally adjusted rate of 4.5 percent, and the national was at 3.5 percent. 
The state had a net gain of 6,300 non-farm jobs over the month. “Historically (2010-2019), Nonfarm employment has averaged a gain of 5,500 jobs in December,” the report states. Trade, Transportation & Utilities had the largest net gain with 9,800 jobs, followed by Education & Health Services with a gain of 4,000. Construction had the largest net loss of 5,100 jobs for the month.  
Trade, Transportation & Utilities took the top spot in job gains from December 2019 to December 2020 with a total of 22,700, while Leisure & Hospitality took the top spot in job losses over the year with 44,800. Construction reported a 3,300-job gain over the year. 
The Construction sector features three major segments: Buildings, Heavy, and Specialty Trades. There are currently 36,000 jobs in Buildings, which decreased by 2,300 from November 2020 and decreased again by 2,300 from December 2019. Heavy Construction lost 100 over the month for a total of 20,700 and is down 500 from December 2019. Specialty Trades lost 3,000 for the month at 116,500, and the segment lost 500 over the year. 
Construction jobs in the Phoenix Metro Area (Phoenix-Mesa-Scottsdale) lost 4,300 over the month for a total of 134,700. The December 2019 number was 135,700.  
The Metro Tucson construction jobs remained at 18,700 from November 2020 and gained 400 from December 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, Flagstaff, Prescott and Sierra Vista-Douglas each remained at 2,500, 2,400, 6,700 and 2,100 jobs respectively for the month. Lake Havasu City-Kingman gained 100 for a total of 3,800 for the month.