The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic drastically modified the occupational system wherein telecommuting has risen as the major form of work. Few studies have incorporated Karasek’s job demand-control (JDC) model into explaining the health effects of telecommuting. This study aimed to investigate the health risk in South Korean telecommuters during the pandemic, and its distribution according to the job stress-related factors.

A nationwide population-based cross-sectional study of South Korean laborers was conducted, utilizing the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey (2020–2021). Following the previously described concept of telecommuting, 14,478 white-collar employees were eligible study participants. Telecommuting, job demand, job control, and various health indicators were measured by the responses to the survey. Participants were stratified into 4 job profiles classified by the JDC model. We conducted multiple logistic regression analyses between telecommuting and health-related outcomes to estimate the odds ratio (OR) with a 95% confidence interval (CI).

One hundred forty-six low-strain, 223 active, 69 passive, and 148 high-strain workers were screened as telecommuters. Compared to office workers, telecommuters had a higher proportion in high job control groups. Subgroup analysis demonstrated different relationships between telecommuting and health, where only active telecommuters showed a higher prevalence of depression (OR: 1.980, 95% CI: 1.126–3.481), and high-strain telecommuters were affected in most outcomes including insomnia (OR: 2.555, 95% CI: 1.473–4.433), musculoskeletal pain (OR: 2.786, 95% CI: 1.719–4.517), headache/eye strain (OR: 3.074, 95% CI: 1.992–4.745) and presenteeism (OR: 1.932, 95% CI: 1.193–3.131).

This study revealed significantly increased odds of multiple health outcomes among South Korean telecommuters during the COVID-19 pandemic era. High-strain job holders were prominently susceptible to the negative health impacts of telecommuting. Occupational health management towards telecommuters should approach mitigating high job demand and low job control.

The prevalence of multiple job-holding (MJH) is expected to show an upward trend among Korean workers, yet its potential impact on workers’ health remains poorly discussed. This study aimed to explore the association between MJH and experience of physical and psychological symptoms in various aspects among active Korean workers and to identify its differences depending on workers’ gender.

We conducted a population-based cross-sectional study among South Korean workers aged 15–59 using data from the 6th Korean Working Conditions Survey. The final study sample comprised 34,175 participants. MJH status and symptoms, such as musculoskeletal pain, headache or eyestrain, fatigue, insomnia, and anxiety, were measured by self-reported data. Logistic regression analyses were performed on the total sample and gender-stratified groups, with adjustments for the sociodemographic and occupational characteristics of the participants.

One hundred thirty-five men and 103 women were defined as multiple job-holders (MJHers) among the study sample. When adjusted for sociodemographic and occupational characteristics, MJHers suffered more events of headache or eyestrain (odds ratio [OR]: 1.85, 95% confidence interval [CI]: 1.23–2.78) and anxiety (OR: 1.99, 95% CI: 1.05–3.79). Gender-stratified analyses with adjustment showed that among women workers, MJH was associated with musculoskeletal pain (OR: 1.85, 95% CI: 1.02–3.34), headache or eyestrain (OR: 2.53, 95% CI: 1.37–4.67), fatigue (OR: 2.38, 95% CI: 1.29–4.40), insomnia (OR: 1.92, 95% CI: 1.04–3.57), and anxiety (OR: 2.83, 95% CI: 1.11–7.20).

We found a significant association between MJH and various symptoms. Women MJHers were revealed to be a more vulnerable population than their men counterparts. Further research should account for the social context of MJH, and appropriate monitoring and intervention for maintaining the well-being of MJHers are needed.