Background: Unemployment, underemployment, and the quality of work are national
occupational health risk factors that drive critical national problems; however, to date, there have
been no systematic efforts to document the public health impact of this situation. Methods: An
environmental scan was conducted to explore the root causes and health impacts of underemployment and unemployment and highlight multilevel perspectives and factors in the landscape of underemployment and unemployment. Methods: included a review of gray literature and research literature, followed by key informant interviews with nine organizational representatives in employment research and policy, workforce development, and industry to assess perceived needs and gaps in practice. Results: Evidence highlights the complex nature of underemployment and unemployment, with multiple macro-level underlying drivers, including the changing nature of work, a dynamic labor market, inadequate enforcement of labor protection standards, declining unions, wage depression, and weak political will interacting with multiple social determinants of health.
UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS URBANA-CHAMPAIGN