Healthcare adds 12K jobs in July
Healthcare added 12,000 jobs to the nation’s economy in July, the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics reported today.
Total nonfarm payroll employment rose by 163,000 in July, and the unemployment rate was essentially unchanged at 8.3 percent. Both the number of unemployed persons (12.8 million) and the unemployment rate were essentially unchanged in July. Both measures have shown little movement thus far in 2012.
The largest growth area in the healthcare sector was in ambulatory care services, which added 8,900 jobs. Nursing and residential care facilities saw the sector’s only decline, losing 2,200 jobs.
In June, 64,000 jobs were added to the economy, 13,000 of which were in healthcare. June and July were both disappointing compared to May 2012, when healthcare grew by 33,000 jobs.
In addition to the growth in healthcare jobs, employment rose in professional and business services, food services and drinking places and manufacturing, according to the BLS report.
