While employment is down for the year, the number of workers is up in 30 states for the month.

“Even though a good number of states added jobs in September, most states have a smaller construction work force than they did a year ago,” said Ken Simonson, the association’s chief economist. “Between the ‘fiscal cliff,’ unset tax rates and declining public sector investments, there are a lot of construction projects on hold as owners wait for a clearer picture of where the economy is heading.”

Among states losing construction jobs during the past year, Alaska lost the highest percentage, followed by New Jersey and Nevada.

Simonson noted that 22 states and Washington, D.C., added construction jobs between September 2011 and September 2012. Washington added the highest percentage of new-construction jobs, followed by Nebraska and North Dakota.