6206.0 - Labour Force Experience, Australia, February 2009 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 25/08/2009   
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GLOSSARY

Employed

People aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week:

  • worked for one hour or more for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind, in a job or business or on a farm (comprising employees, employers and own account workers); or
  • worked for one hour or more without pay in a family business or on a farm (i.e. contributing family workers); or
  • were employees who had a job but were not at work and were:
      • away from work for less than four weeks up to the end of the reference week; or
      • away from work for more than four weeks up to the end of the reference week and received pay for some or all of the four week period to the end of the reference week; or
      • away from work as a standard work or shift arrangement; or
      • on strike or locked out; or
      • on workers' compensation and expected to return to their job; or
  • were employers or own account workers who had a job, business or farm, but were not at work.

Industry of main job

In this publication, industry of main job refers to ANZSIC Division as classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 2006 (cat. no. 1292.0).

In the labour force at some time during the year

People who had worked or looked for work for one week or more during the year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

In the labour force for the whole year

People who had either worked or looked for work every week for the whole year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

In the labour force for part of the year

People who had either worked or looked for work for one week or more during the year, but had some weeks when neither activity was undertaken. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Looked for work at some time during the year

People who looked for work for one week or more during the year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Main English-speaking countries

The list of main English-speaking countries provided here is not an attempt to classify countries on the basis of whether or not English is the predominant or official language of each country. It is a list of the main countries from which Australia receives, or has received, significant numbers of overseas settlers who are likely to speak English. These countries comprise the United Kingdom, the Republic of Ireland, New Zealand, Canada, South Africa and the United States of America.

Mean duration of time spent looking for work

Obtained by dividing the aggregate number of weeks a group has been looking for work by the number of people in that group.

Median duration of time spent looking for work

The duration which divides people who looked for work into two equal groups, one comprising people whose time spent looking for work during the year is above the median, and the other, people whose time spent looking is below it.

Not in the labour force at some time during the year

People who had neither worked nor looked for work for one week or more during the year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Number of employers/businesses during the year

The number of employers/businesses a person worked for during the year.

Number of spells of looking for work during the year

The number of different periods, including the current period, during which a person was not working but was looking for a job.

Occupation of main job

In this publication, occupation of main job refers to Major Group as defined by the ANZSCO - Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, First Edition, 2006 (cat. no. 1220.0).

Time in the labour force during the year

The total number of weeks a person reported having either worked or looked for work during the previous year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Time not in the labour force during the year

The total number of weeks a person reported having neither worked nor looked for work during the previous year. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed or actively looked for work, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Time spent looking for work during the year

The total number of weeks a person spent looking for work, while not working.

Time worked during the year

The total number of weeks a person reported having either worked or been on paid leave. Periods of one week or more on strike or time off without pay are not classified as time worked.

Time worked full time during the year

The total number of weeks a person reported as having either worked or been on paid leave during the year, minus any weeks during the year where they reported working part time.

Time worked part time during the year

The response given by a respondent to the question 'For how many weeks did you work part time?'.

Unemployed

People aged 15 years and over who were not employed during the reference week, and:
  • had actively looked for full time or part time work at any time in the four weeks up to the end of the reference week and were available for work in the reference week; or
  • were waiting to start a new job within four weeks from the end of the reference week and could have started in the reference week if the job had been available then.

Worked

Activity in a job, business or farm, for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind; or any activity in a family business that contributed to the operation of that business although no payment was received. Includes being absent, but on paid leave, from such activity. Note that the specific criteria used to determine whether a person was employed, according to the LFS, were not applied.

Worked at some time during the year

People who reported having worked and/or been on paid leave for one week or more during the year.

Worked for part of the year

People who reported having worked and/or been on paid leave for part of the year.