Construction Employment and COVID-19 Vaccinations During the Pandemic
Anew Data Bulletin from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training provides information on construction industry trends related to the pandemic between March 2020 and April 2021 (https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/Data Bulletin-June-2021.pdf). Key findings include:
A new Data Bulletin from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training provides information on construction industry trends related to the pandemic between March 2020 and April 2021 (https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-June-2021.pdf). Employment and work losses due to COVID-19 were estimated from monthly data of the Current Population Survey, a data collection of the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The effects of COVID-19 on construction businesses were assessed using the U.S. Census Bureau’s weekly Small Business Pulse Survey. Employment and business trends were compared between construction and all industries, and among construction subgroups. Percentages of worker vaccination and hesitancy were calculated using data from the COVID Symptom Survey, a voluntary online survey of active Facebook users to track COVID-19 across the United States, conducted by the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon University through collaboration with Facebook. Patterns of vaccination and hesitancy were analyzed and compared among major occupational categories. Time periods covered by this report varied by source according to data availability.
Key Findings Include:
Compared to March 2020, employment in all industries across the U.S. was 2.6% lower in April 2021,
but in construction it was 2% higher. Employment in all industries plummeted at the start of the CHART 1: pandemic but has recovered gradually since then (chart 1). Despite the improvement, in April 2021, employment in all industries combined remained 2.6% below March 2020 levels. Construction employment followed a similar pattern, dropping 14.9% from March to April 2020. Percentage change in employment, March 2020 –surpassed its March 2020 levels by 2.2% in April 2021. April 2021, construction versus all industries
+ Compared to March 2020, employment in all industries across the U.S. was 2.6% lower in April 2021, but in construction it was 2% higher (chart 1). + By March 2021, only 7% of construction workers reported that they were unable to work in the past month because their employer closed or lost business due to the pandemic. + The large negative effect of COVID-19 declined by over 40% in construction from April 2020 to May 2021. + By the end of May 2021, workers in construction and extraction occupations had the lowest COVID-19 vaccination rate (51%) and the highest hesitancy rate (42%) among all workers included in the survey. + Among hesitant construction and extraction workers, top barriers included distrust of the vaccines (56%) and distrust of the government (55%) (chart 11).
Construction Employment, Businesses, and COVID-19 Vaccinations During the Pandemic
A new Data Bulletin from CPWR – The Center for Construction Research & Training provides information on construction industry trends related to the pandemic between March 2020 and April 2021 (https://www.cpwr.com/wp-content/uploads/DataBulletin-June-2021.pdf). Employment and work losses due to COVID-19 were estimated from monthly data of the Current Population Survey, a data collection of the U.S.
Bureau of Labor Statistics. The effects of COVID-19 on construction businesses were assessed using the U.S.
Census Bureau’s weekly Small Business Pulse Survey. Employment and business trends were compared between construction and all industries, and among construction subgroups. Percentages of worker vaccination and hesitancy were calculated using data from the COVID Symptom Survey, a voluntary online survey of active
Facebook users to track COVID-19 across the United States, conducted by the Delphi Group at Carnegie Mellon
University through collaboration with Facebook. Patterns of vaccination and hesitancy were analyzed and compared among major occupational categories. Time periods covered by this report varied by source according to data availability. Source: U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, Current Population Survey. Calculations by the CPWR
Key Findings Include:
Compared to March 2020, employment in all industries across the U.S. was 2.6% lower in April 2021,
but in construction it was 2% higher. Employment in all industries plummeted at the start of the CHART 11: pandemic but has recovered gradually since then (chart 1). Despite the improvement, in April 2021, employment in all industries combined remained 2.6% below March 2020 levels. Construction employment followed a similar pattern, dropping 14.9% from March to April 2020. Barriers* to COVID-19 vaccination among hesitantsurpassed its March 2020 levels by 2.2% in April 2021. construction and extraction** workers, May 2021 Source: Delphi Group, COVID Symptom Survey. *Respondents were allowed to select one or more barrier items that applied. **Some workers may work in non-construction industries.
COVID-19 vaccination is a crucial construction safety and health measure. It is essential to remove barriers to vaccination among hesitant workers so that they can be protected from infections. Detailed vaccination trends are available in the new CPWR Interactive Data Dashboard: COVID-19 Vaccination in Construction.
For tips on talking to friends, family, or coworkers about the COVID-19 vaccine, check out: https://www. cdc.gov/coronavirus/2019-ncov/vaccines/talk-aboutvaccines.html.