Care work hiring steadied as staffing costs stayed high

Nursing homes added 3,300 jobs in June, pushing employment in that segment above its pre-pandemic level for the first time since early 2020. At the same time, the broader care economy still looked tight, with overall health care hiring slowing even as it remained one of the few steady sources of monthly job growth. Vacancy levels and turnover are still high enough that staffing remains a central pressure rather than a solved problem.

Home care and other hands-on support roles showed a more mixed picture. New hiring data from the caregiver side pointed to a market where applicant volume is present, but quality, retention, and speed of filling shifts still matter more than simple headcount. Across the month, employers were described as leaning harder on frontline roles and more selective hiring, while temporary staffing continued to play a larger role in long-term care operations than it did a year ago.

Regulatory and operating pressure also stayed in view. A federal staffing framework for home health agencies moved into effect on July 1, and updated rules for staffing-services firms added more attention to how labor is assigned and documented. In parallel, recent labor data showed job openings in health care and social assistance easing from earlier highs, even as demand for direct care, bedside support, and personal assistance remained anchored by aging populations and persistent turnover.