Work Environment

Social and human service assistants held about 372,700 jobs in 2012.  They work for nonprofit organizations, private for-profit social service agencies, and state and local government.  They may work in offices, clinics, hospitals, group homes, and shelters.  Some travel around their communities to see clients.  Most social and human service assistants work full time.  Some work nights and weekends.

The industries that employed the most social and human service assistants in 2012 were as follows:

  23%                Individual and family services                               

  20%                State and local government                                   

  16%                Residential care facilities                                       

  12%                Community and vocational rehabilitation services     

  10%                Religious, grant making, civic, professional, and similar

                         organizations

[Bureau of Labor Statistics, U.S. Department of Labor, Occupational Outlook Handbook, 2014-15 Edition, Social and Human Service Assistants, on the internet at http://www.bls.gov/ooh/community-and-social-service/social-and-human-service-assistants.htm (visited February 20, 2014).]