Refers to a situation in which workers remain in jobs they would otherwise prefer to leave because leaving could result in the loss of important employment-related benefits or create significant financial or personal risk. In the United States, the term is most commonly associated with employer-sponsored health insurance, particularly when workers are concerned about losing affordable health coverage for themselves or their families if they change jobs, reduce their hours, become self-employed, or leave the workforce.

Job lock can reduce job and career mobility by discouraging workers from changing employers, pursuing better employment opportunities, starting businesses, or making other career transitions. Researchers have studied the relationship between employer-sponsored health insurance and job mobility for several decades.

Recent research suggests that job lock associated with health insurance remains significant in the United States. A 2026 West Health–Gallup study found that nearly one-quarter of workers who rely on employer-sponsored health insurance—an estimated 23 million adults—reported staying in a job they would prefer to leave because they were concerned about losing health insurance. Job lock was especially prevalent among workers experiencing medical debt, high healthcare costs, chronic health conditions, and financial stress related to healthcare.

Job lock has implications beyond individual job satisfaction. Reduced worker mobility can affect career advancement, wage growth, entrepreneurship, employer recruitment, labor-market efficiency, and the ability of workers to move to jobs that better match their skills and circumstances.