In spite of the improved medical treatment, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still causing both significant morbidity and marked loss of work productivity. Short periods of work inability, i.e., sick leaves represent a significant part of the socioeconomic burden of RA. The study is a randomized, controlled double blind multi-center study. 160 patients of 25 to 55 years of age with recent-onset (≤2 years from diagnosis) RA who have been treated with a combination of conventional antirheumatic drugs but have an inadequate response to treatment and are at the risk of losing their ability to work, are enrolled. The patients should be biologic-naïve. Their RA should be active, but not so active that the conventional criteria for biologic therapy would be fulfilled. The subjects are randomized at 1:1 ratio to receive either adalimumab (40 mg every two weeks) or placebo for 6 months added on their concurrent antirheumatic therapy. The RA-related sickness absence and clinical response will be evaluated.