How do I give my caregivers more hours?
Steady hours come from matching caregivers to clients near them, giving each caregiver a small group of regular clients, and keeping open shifts from sitting empty. Hours and scheduling are the second most common reason caregivers leave, so they are worth fixing early.
Hours and scheduling were the second most common reason caregivers gave for leaving in Home Care Pulse’s interviews. Caregivers who get too few hours look for a second job. Caregivers who get chopped-up schedules burn out.
Ways to give more steady hours:
- Group by place. Give each caregiver clients close together so she spends time caring, not driving.
- Give her a few regular clients. This builds trust with the family and makes her schedule predictable.
- Fill open shifts fast. Keep a short list of caregivers who want extra hours and ask them first.
- Cross-train. A caregiver who can work with more kinds of clients can take more shifts.
- Share the schedule early. Send it as far ahead as you can, and tell her quickly when it changes.
- Ask. Some caregivers want 40 hours; some want 15. Do not guess.
A word of care: travel between clients counts as paid work time under federal wage rules, so more clients far apart can raise your payroll cost. The Department of Labor explains this on its travel-time page.
Also, hours depend on authorized hours for each client. You can only schedule what the plan of care approves.
How CareBravo® helps
CareBravo builds the schedule from client authorizations and caregiver availability, and a call-out is covered under rules you set once.
Sources
- Top 10 reasons caregivers leave home care agencies · Home Health Care News (reporting Home Care Pulse caregiver interviews, 2018)
- Travel time (direct care workers) · U.S. Department of Labor, Wage and Hour Division
Reviewed by Beth Bledsoe, Care Business Advisor®, 28 Oct 2026. Rules change. Confirm with your state Medicaid agency before you act.
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