Published January, 2013

How Does Employment – or Unemployment – Affect Health?, Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) (2013)

This Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF) issue brief outlines the health benefits arising from stable employment, as well as the negative health effects associated with unemployment. RWJF advocates for employers' promotion of health and safety, including investment in workplace wellness programs and education and training initiatives. Each dollar spent on such programs results in an average measurable savings to employers through reduced costs related to sick leave, health plans, worker compensation, and disability. The issue brief asserts that Americans' success in finding and keeping decent jobs with good benefits will influence their current and future health status.