Though the BLS Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey (JOLTS) was delayed, due to the government shutdown, it’s eventual publication brought some good news in that it showed the number of unfilled positions in the construction sector rising during August. This increase in unfilled positions matches the increasing activity in the construction sector, but unfortunately is still only representative of a small increase in total employment. In fact, gross hiring in the construction sector actually fell from 307,000 to 298,000 between July and August and the hiring rate fell from 5.4 percent to 5.2 percent, continuing the trend of slowed hiring since the end of 2012.
Read the full article here: Number of Unfilled Construction Jobs Rose in August