Illinois, Ohio and Indiana logged the highest construction job losses in the nation in April, according to year-over-year data compiled by Arlington, Va.-based Associated General Contractors of America (AGC).

Illinois shed 12,900 jobs in April, followed by Ohio with 9,200 job losses and Indiana with 5,600 job losses. Michigan (-4,300 jobs), Wisconsin (-3,600 jobs ) and Missouri (-200 jobs) also recorded employment declines in April, AGC reports.

In month-to-month comparisons, Vermont recorded the largest percentage decrease in construction employment (-6.3%), followed by Illinois (-4.3%) and Wisconsin (4.1%). Illinois also recorded the nation's highest job losses (-7,900 jobs) between March and April.

In all, construction employment declined in 32 states in April, with AGC noting that construction demand in a number of states is slackening due to federal construction spending cuts and relatively weak demand in the private sector.

“The industry shows signs of recovering but employment growth continues to be uneven, with some areas seeing stronger gains even as others continue to contract,” says AGC Chief Economist Ken Simonson. “Recent federal construction spending cuts amid still modest private sector growth is making it hard for the industry to recover in more areas.”

Of the 28 states that added jobs between April 2012 and April 2013, growth was strongest in Hawaii (11.5%, 3,300 jobs); followed by Alaska (9.1%, 1,500 jobs) and Louisiana (8.1% 10,200 jobs). California added the most new construction jobs in year-over-year comparisons (44,800, 7.7%), followed by Texas (41,500 jobs, 7.1%), Florida (15,500, 4.6%), Louisiana (10,200, 8.1%) and New York (7,500, 2.4%).