Why do 24% of workers stay in jobs they hate? Health Insurance

Bob covers medical expenses, focusing on health insurance and hospitals. His story delves into Medicare Advantage, opaque prescription drug benefits, and what executives actually earn. He is also the author of the Health Care Inc. newsletter. You can reach Bob at Signal at bobjherman.09.

More and more adults are working hard at jobs they don’t like just because they don’t want to lose their health insurance.

This phenomenon, known as “job lock,” has existed in the U.S. workforce for decades. Fear of losing health benefits can prevent people from changing jobs or careers, especially those with more health problems or complex conditions. Economists also say the employment lock is preventing people from starting businesses.

Nearly a quarter of all U.S. workers say they want to quit their current job but won’t because they want to maintain health benefits, according to a new Gallup/West Health survey of more than 2,000 employed people. That’s a significant increase from 16% in 2021, the last time Gallup measured workers’ job locks.

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