Employment is the condition of having paid work, which provides income and often benefits such as health insurance and paid sick leave. Employment, and the income and benefits it provides, shape our choices about housing, child care, medical care and more. Wealth, or the accumulation of assets, makes it easier for people to manage job changes, emergencies, education costs and retirement. As employment, income and wealth increase or decrease for individuals, families and communities, so do opportunities for health.
Institutional practices are the ways in which an institution’s members carry out their functions and responsibilities, often through established patterns of behavior and procedures. They can include decision-making processes and resource allocation established by historical precedent, communication protocols, performance evaluations and hiring and promotion practices.
Laws and policies are written rules and regulations enacted by governments to shape behavior in society and regulate activity. Laws are made by people elected to governments and enforced by various governmental agencies. A policy is a course of action or overall plan to accomplish the goals of a government, party, or organization and determine present and future decisions.
Length of life measures the time between birth and death and how often people die early. Everyone should have the resources and opportunities to live long and well, regardless of where they live.
