New housing and commercial construction are both much improved, despite generally poor weather. Employment is growing, but at a somewhat subdued pace relative to the national average. In a sample of the District's smaller employers, contacts cited increased training costs and high worker turnover associated with tight labor markets. One contact reported offering bonuses to employees who bring in new employees. Demand has risen for workers of all skill levels, particularly those with technical backgrounds, and wage growth is higher than this time last year.
Respondents also report an increased frequency of job vacancies.
Several temporary employment agencies, specializing in high-skill areas such as law, engineering, and healthcare, have recently emerged. Manufacturing Industrial activity is expanding at a good pace across most sectors. Capital goods producers report further increases from an already high level of production. Steel producers indicate large output gains in the past month or two. Manufacturing activity is generally expected to remain quite strong through the spring, as new orders are reported to have risen and the backlog is up from the beginning of the year.