OBJECTIVES: To investigate the work related aspects of the burden of RA for patients.METHODS: A cross-sectional survey was conducted among working age RA patients (20 to 65 years old), members of one of the RA patients’ associations in France. The questionnaire was self-administered and used three validated instruments, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), the EuroQoL-5 Dimension (EQ-5D) and the Working Productivity and Activity Impairment Questionnaire-RA (WPAI-RA) . RESULTS: A total of 3494 questionnaires were mailed and 1,189 (34.0%) could be analysed. Mean age of patients was 53.1 years and the gender ratio (female to male) was 5.8. The mean duration of disease was 14.7 years. While at time of diagnosis, 83.6% of patients declared they were employed, the employment rate at the time of the survey was of 49.9%, 7 points lower than that of the French general population adjusted for age and gender (p<0.001). A total of 38.3% declared to be on part-time job while this rate is only of 28.4% in the French general population (p<0.05). 67.5% of patients who were or have been employed reported that the disease had a negative impact on their professional career (up to 92.6% for severe RA). The two main impacts reported were on their job choices and discrimination during their career. 61.4% considered that it resulted in income losses. The work productivity impairment was high (23.4% and up to 52.5% for severe RA, p<0.001) mostly due to impairment while working (presenteeism) rather than absenteeism. Finally, patients’ estimation of their RA-work income loss is about €600 per month, which is not compensated by disability pensions (€223 per month on average). CONCLUSIONS: These results reflect both the objective and the subjective negative impact of RA on working status and conditions, even in a country with substantial social support and extensive health coverage.