Ambulatory healthcare services gained the most jobs in the sector, followed by hospitals, then nursing and residential care facilities.
The healthcare sector is continuing its slow upward trajectory in job growth.
The newest U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) report found that the sector gained 34,000 jobs during the month of April.
Ambulatory healthcare services saw the most jobs added in the sector, gaining 28,000 jobs during the month. Additionally, hospitals gained about 4,500 jobs, while nursing and residential care facilities only saw an increase of about 2,000 jobs.
Following gains in employment in January (+18,000), February (+64,000), and March (+8,000), employment in the healthcare sector is down approximately 250,000, or 1.5% since pre-pandemic levels in February 2020.
Total nonfarm payroll employment gained 428,000 jobs during the month, "Job growth was widespread, led by gains in leisure and hospitality, in manufacturing, and in transportation and warehousing," the report said.
The unemployment rate remained unchanged at 3.6%, according to the BLS, leaving the number of unemployed persons at 5.9 million. "These measures are little different from their values in February 2020 (3.5 percent and 5.7 million, respectively), prior to the coronavirus (COVID-19) pandemic," the report said.
The amount of those employed who teleworked went down to 7.7%, down from 10% in March.
Melanie Blackman is a contributing editor for strategy, marketing, and human resources at HealthLeaders, an HCPro brand.