1 in 6 US workers say they keep unwanted jobs for health insurance

One out of every 6 adult workers said they remained in their unwanted jobs out of fear of losing their health benefits, according to a new survey released Thursday.

The survey, conducted by West Health and Gallup, found that 16 percent of adult workers in the U.S. have stayed in jobs that they might have otherwise left because they do not want to lose their employer-sponsored health insurance.

Black workers were 50 percent more likely to find themselves in this situation. According to the survey, 21 percent of Black adults are currently in a job they want to leave but won’t out of fear of losing health insurance benefits, compared to 14 percent of white adults.

Sixteen percent of Hispanic workers said the same. 

Annual household income was another factor that influenced whether adults are remaining in jobs for health benefits.

According to the survey, adults making less than $48,000 a year were among the most likely to stay in an unwanted job, at 28 percent.

That rate dropped to 10 percent for adults with an annual household income of more than $180,000.

Last May, the Kaiser Family Foundation released a study that estimated about 27 million people could lose their employer-sponsored health insurance during the pandemic because of job losses.

The West Health-Gallup survey was conducted between March 15 and March 21 and polled 3,870 adults aged 18 years and older living in all 50 states and D.C.