Unemployment: more than the loss of a job.

1. Involuntarily imposed work cessation is a very stressful event and represents the loss of one of the central roles and functions of life. 2. Involuntary unemployment, or its anticipation, can lead directly or synergistically to psychological and physical health consequences and behavioral maladaptations, which may be manifest overtly or appear insidiously over time. 3. Occupational health services, in collaboration with community resources and social services, can help prevent negative effects on family and community wellness from the stress of an unemployed family member or the collective stress experienced by aggregates of terminated workers in the community.