Job lock

What is job lock?

Job lock is a situation where a person remains in their current job because they have an illness or condition that may make them unable to obtain health insurance coverage if they leave that job. Under a job lock, the person fears finding an alternative to employer provided health insurance.

Certain Federal programs address job lock by providing opportunities for continuation of coverage once employer provided health insurance has ended. COBRA is a program that provides access to health insurance once an individual leaves a job.