About one in four American workers say they have stayed in a job they wanted to leave simply to keep their health insurance, according to a recent survey. The finding highlights a long-observed dynamic in the US labor market, where employer-provided health coverage can tie employees to positions they might otherwise quit.
Approximately 1 in 4 employees stay in unwanted jobs to keep health insurance, according to a survey.
Experts refer to this situation as 'job lock' — a term for when workers feel trapped in a job primarily because they need the health benefits it provides. The survey's estimate suggests job lock affects a substantial portion of the American workforce.
One source reported that the rate of job lock has increased significantly since 2021, though another source did not address this trend. The survey itself did not specify the reasons behind the rise.
