Nonrelocatable Occupations at Increased Risk During Pandemics: United States, 2018

• Published in: American journal of public health (1971) Vol. 110; no. 8; pp. 1126 - 1132
• Main Author: Baker, Marissa G
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States American Public Health Association 01.08.2020
• Subjects: AJPH Covid-19; Betacoronavirus; Cardiovascular disease; Codes; Community Health; Computer use; Computers - statistics & numerical data; Coronavirus Infections - prevention & control; Coronaviruses; COVID-19; Disease transmission; Employment; Food; Food service; Health care; Health care industry; Health Policy; Health risks; Humans; Infectious diseases; Job security; Layoffs; Low income groups; Mental disorders; Mental health; Mental health services; Military occupations; Occupational Health; Occupational Stress; Occupations; Occupations - classification; Occupations - economics; Other Environment; Pandemics; Pandemics - prevention & control; Pneumonia, Viral - prevention & control; Public health; Salaries and Fringe Benefits - statistics & numerical data; SARS-CoV-2; Security; Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2; Socioeconomic Factors; Statistics; Technology; United States; Wages & salaries; Work at home; Workers; Workplace - statistics & numerical data; Workplaces; United States; United States > US
• ISSN: 0090-0036; 1541-0048
• DOI: 10.2105/AJPH.2020.305738

To characterize which occupations in the United States could likely work from home during a pandemic such as COVID-19. I merged 2018 US Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) national employment and wage data with measures ranking the importance of computer use at work and the importance of working with or performing for the public from the BLS O*NET survey. Approximately 25% (35.6 million) of US workers are employed in occupations (such as technology, administrative, financial, and engineering) that could be done from home; the remaining 75% work in occupations (including health care, manufacturing, retail, and food services) that are challenging to do from home. Most US workers are employed in occupations that cannot be done at home, putting 108.4 million workers at increased risk for adverse health outcomes related to working during a pandemic. These workers tend to be lower paid. The stress experienced by lower-income groups, coupled with job insecurity, could result in a large burden of mental health disorders in the United States in addition to increased cases of COVID-19 from workplace transmission.