Who needs PTO? Gen Z wants Ozempic on the job

Forget free snacks in the break room.

For Gen Z, choosing between jobs isn’t always about salary, paid time off or cushy perks — it’s about who’s covering their weight-loss drugs.

A new ZipHealth Survey of more than 1,000 workers found 47% of Zoomers — the generation aged 14 to 29 — said coverage for drugs like Ozempic or Wegovy would sway their decision between two job offers.

That’s higher than the 35% of Millennials, and 36% of Gen Xers, who said the same.

And some workers aren’t just prioritizing access — they’re willing to pay for it. About 7% overall say they would take a pay cut to get employer-covered GLP-1 meds.

Among Gen Z, the figure jumps to 9%.

Overall, 54% of workers said they’d give up at least one workplace perk in exchange for coverage of the popular drugs, which come with a hefty price tag.

GLP-1s often cost $1,000 to $1,200 a month, without insurance, per GoodRX.

The figure doesn’t include the price of doctor’s office visits and diagnostic tests, which can drive overall costs sky high.

That’s why the employee trade-offs are getting serious, with one in eight workers willing to give up a full week of paid time off (PTO) just to have the drugs covered, the March survey found.

Medications like Ozempic, Wegovy and Mounjaro exploded into the mainstream between 2022 to early 2023, boosted by a steady stream of celebrity users — from Oprah Winfrey to Chrissy Teigen.

Originally developed for Type 2 diabetes, the drugs are now widely used off label for weight loss. Its active ingredient, semaglutide, is also approved specifically for obesity under the brand name Wegovy.

Competing drugs include Mounjaro and Zepbound, both from Eli Lilly.

And this isn’t a passing fad.

A November 2025 KFF poll found that one in eight adults are already taking a GLP-1 drug for weight loss, diabetes or related conditions.

In December, the Food and Drug Administration approved Wegovy in pill form — offering a needle-free alternative to injections, and making it even more attractive to potential customers.

Gen Zers — who freely confess they’d trade the gym for the pharmacy — aren’t alone in reshuffling their entire benefits wish list.

Across generations, reported the survey, 29% would ditch pet insurance, 20% would cut gym perks, 17% would walk away from student loan help, 8% would give up flexible work days — and 6% would even sacrifice part of their annual bonus — all for access to GLP-1 coverage.

And one more interesting finding — the GLP-1 covered employees would be so grateful for the weight-loss drugs that 31% of workers said it would boost their confidence — and increase their company loyalty.