Workers with Family Responsibilities, WA

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    NAME OF ORGANISATION
    Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS)

    OVERVIEW
    A survey of Workers with Family Responsibilities was conducted throughout Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory in October 1993, as a supplement to the Monthly Population Survey. The survey targeted persons aged 18 to 59 years in paid employment who usually work 15 hours a week or more in their main job.

    Survey estimates were based on a sample of 7,375 persons (WA) and 2,552 (ACT) fully responding.

    PURPOSE
    One objective of the survey was to collect information on care given to extra-household as well as intra-household family members. The target population, therefore, included persons who were living alone. If a worker had a partner (legal or de facto), he/she was included only if the partner also met the age and employment criteria. Hence the target population excluded workers whose partners would normally bear the major responsibility for care of family members due to the partner's lack of, or limited participation in, paid employment.

    The survey is intended to assist major users in:

    • The formulation of polices relating to the development of family sensitive work practices that assist emploees with family responsibilities;
    • Developing work practices for employees with family responsibilities;
    • The promotion of family sensitive work practices through awareness, education and training programmes; and
    • Negotiations relating to the incorporation of family sensitive work practices in industrial awards and enterprise agreements;
    The provision of advice to Western Australian public and private organisations, union and employer organisations, Federal and State public sector organisations.

    SCOPE
    1993 Workers with Family Responsibilities Survey

    Scope: WA civilian population aged 18 to 59 (in private dwellings only)
    Coverage: Standard Labour Force coverage rules.

    The following are exclusions on coverage for the labour force:
    • visitors to the household;
    • members of the permanent defence forces;
    • certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, customarily excluded from census and estimated populations;
    • overseas residents in Australia; and
    • members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia.

    DATA DETAIL

    Conceptual framework
    This survey was conducted throughout Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory in October 1993, as a supplement to the Monthly Population Survey. Persons aged 18 to 59 years in paid employment who usually work 15 hours per week or more in their main job were targeted. As an objective of the survey was to collect information on care given to extra-household as well as intra-household family members, the target population included persons who were living alone. If workers had a partner, the worker was included only if the partner also met the age and employment criteria.

    Main outputs
    Publication: Workers with Family Responsibilities, WA and the ACT, October 1993 (ABS Cat. No. 4408.5)

    Data on the following was included:

    • Job changes made to meet family responsibilities
    • Time taken off work for family members living elsewhere and arrangements made at work
    • Time taken off work for sick children by age, occupation, marital status and sex
    • Time taken off work for school holidays
    • Choice of working hours by occupation, family membership and sex
    • Sick leave taken and use of sick leave to care for family members

    Classifications
    Standard Classifications were used for Labour Force Variables.

    Geographical levels:
    State
    Statistical Local Area (not published)

    Family items:
    • Family type(One Parent/Two Parent)
    • Full/Part Time status of parents
    • Number of children aged under 4 years and aged 4-11 years
    • Usual carer(s) of school children
    • Whether needed to arrange for an alternative carer when usual carer unavailable
    • Difficulty in arranging alternative carer
    • Whether needed to arrange for someone else to care for a sick child
    • Difficulty in finding someone else to care for a sick child

    Other concepts (summary)
    Not applicable.

    GEOGRAPHIC DETAIL
    Western Australia
    ACT
    Statistical Local Area

    Comments and/or Other Regions
    Published data is only at State level.

    COLLECTION FREQUENCY
    Adhoc

    Frequency comments
    It is not envisaged that this survey will be repeated.

    COLLECTION HISTORY
    Not applicable.

    DATA AVAILABILITY
    Yes

    Data availability comments
    Publication: Workers with Family Responsibilities, Western Australia and the Australian Capital Territory, October 1993, (ABS Cat. No. 4408.5).


    DATE OF LAST UPDATE FOR THIS DOCUMENT
    17/05/2002 02:24 PM