Dive Brief:

• Fewer construction workers were unemployed in March than during the same month a year ago, an indication that "the fortunes of the industry and employment in the industry continue to improve," Associated Builders and Contractors reported Thursday.

• The industry’s unemployment rate fell in 41 states year over year, ABC said.

• The number of unemployed contractors fell the most in Nebraska — by 1% from March 2014 to March 2015. North Dakota, whose unemployment rate dipped the most last year, fell to second place as its oil industry waned and demand for construction has dropped off.

Dive Insight:

ABC called the March dip in unemployment "expected positive news for construction." Researchers attributed the decline, in part, to improving weather after a rough winter.