6202.0 - Labour Force, Australia, Jul 2009

GLOSSARY

Actively looking for work

Includes writing, telephoning or applying in person to an employer for work; answering an advertisement for a job; checking factory noticeboards or the touchscreens at the Centrelink offices; being registered with Centrelink as a jobseeker; checking or registering with any other employment agency; advertising or tendering for work; and contacting friends or relatives.

Attending full time education

Persons aged 15-24 years enrolled at secondary or high school or enrolled as a full time student at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) college, university, or other educational institution in the reference week.

Attending school

Persons aged 15-19 years enrolled at secondary or high school in the reference week.

Attending tertiary educational institution full time

Persons aged 15-24 years enrolled full time at a TAFE college, university, or other educational institution in the reference week, except those persons aged 15-19 years who were still attending school.

Civilian population aged 15 years and over

All usual residents of Australia aged 15 years and over except members of the permanent defence forces, certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments customarily excluded from census and estimated population counts, overseas residents in Australia, and members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia.

Composite Estimation

The estimation methodology used in the Labour Force Survey. Composite Estimation uses sample responses from nearby months as well as from the reference month to derive estimates for the reference month. This approach achieves gains in efficiency by exploiting the high similarity between the responses provided by the same respondent in previous months. For details see Information Paper: Forthcoming Changes to Labour Force Statistics, 2007 (cat. no. 6292.0).

Employed

All persons 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:
were employers or own account workers, who had a job, business or farm, but were not at work.

Employment to population ratio

For any group, the number of employed persons expressed as a percentage of the civilian population in the same group.

Full time workers

Employed persons who usually worked 35 hours or more a week (in all jobs) and those who, although usually working less than 35 hours a week, worked 35 hours or more during the reference week.

Gross flows

The matching of respondents who report in consecutive months enables analysis of the transition of individuals between the different labour force status classifications, referred to as the matched sample. The transition counts between the different labour force status classifications from one point in time to the next are commonly referred to as gross flows.

The figures presented in gross flows are presented in original terms only and do not align with published labour force estimates. The gross flows figures are derived from the matched sample between consecutive months, which after taking account of the sample rotation and varying non-response in each month is approximately 80 percent of the sample.

Caution should be exercised when analysing these gross flows data due to:

the figures presented sum to approximately 80 percent of the population values as the gross flows data are based on the matched sample only;
there is no adjustment applied to account for changes due to seasonal patterns (referred to commonly as seasonal adjustment); and
the relative sizes of each transition class are subject to bias due to the matched sample being a non-representative sample.

Labour force

For any group, persons who were employed or unemployed, as defined.

Labour force status

A classification of the civilian population aged 15 years and over into employed, unemployed or not in the labour force, as defined. The definitions conform closely to the international standard definitions adopted by the International Conferences of Labour Statisticians.

Labour force underutilisation rate

The sum of the number of persons unemployed and the number of persons in underemployment, expressed as a proportion of the labour force.

Not in labour force

Persons who were not in the categories employed or unemployed as defined.

Participation rate

For any group, the labour force expressed as a percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over in the same group.

Part time workers

Employed persons who usually worked less than 35 hours a week (in all jobs) and either did so during the reference week, or were not at work in the reference week.

Response rate

The number of fully responding dwellings expressed as a percentage of the total number of dwellings excluding sample loss. Examples of sample loss include: dwellings where all persons are out of scope and/or coverage; vacant dwellings; dwellings under construction; dwellings converted to non-dwellings; derelict dwellings; and demolished dwellings.

Seasonally adjusted series

A time series of estimates with the estimated effects of normal seasonal variation removed. See Explanatory Notes 25 to 29 for more detail.

Trend series

A smoothed seasonally adjusted series of estimates. See Explanatory Notes 30 to 33 for more detail.

Underemployment rate

The number of underemployed workers expressed as a percentage of the labour force.

Underemployed workers

Employed persons aged 15 years and over who want, and are available for, more hours of work than they currently have. They comprise:

persons employed part time who want to work more hours and are available to start work with more hours, either in the reference week or in the four weeks subsequent to the survey; or
persons employed full time who worked part time hours in the reference week for economic reasons (such as being stood down or insufficient work being available). It is assumed that these people wanted to work full time in the reference week and would have been available to do so.

Unemployed

Persons 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.

Unemployed looking for full time work

Unemployed persons who:

actively looked for full time work; or
were waiting to start a new full time job.

Unemployed looking for part time work

Unemployed persons who:

actively looked for part time work only; or
were waiting to start a new part time job.

Unemployment rate

For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group.

Unemployment to population ratio

For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the civilian population in the same group.

This page last updated 9 September 2009

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Explanatory Notes Glossary Quality Declaration - Summary What If Standard Errors Data Source	GLOSSARY Actively looking for work Includes writing, telephoning or applying in person to an employer for work; answering an advertisement for a job; checking factory noticeboards or the touchscreens at the Centrelink offices; being registered with Centrelink as a jobseeker; checking or registering with any other employment agency; advertising or tendering for work; and contacting friends or relatives. Attending full time education Persons aged 15-24 years enrolled at secondary or high school or enrolled as a full time student at a Technical and Further Education (TAFE) college, university, or other educational institution in the reference week. Attending school Persons aged 15-19 years enrolled at secondary or high school in the reference week. Attending tertiary educational institution full time Persons aged 15-24 years enrolled full time at a TAFE college, university, or other educational institution in the reference week, except those persons aged 15-19 years who were still attending school. Civilian population aged 15 years and over All usual residents of Australia aged 15 years and over except members of the permanent defence forces, certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments customarily excluded from census and estimated population counts, overseas residents in Australia, and members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependants) stationed in Australia. Composite Estimation The estimation methodology used in the Labour Force Survey. Composite Estimation uses sample responses from nearby months as well as from the reference month to derive estimates for the reference month. This approach achieves gains in efficiency by exploiting the high similarity between the responses provided by the same respondent in previous months. For details see Information Paper: Forthcoming Changes to Labour Force Statistics, 2007 (cat. no. 6292.0). Employed All persons 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. Employment to population ratio For any group, the number of employed persons expressed as a percentage of the civilian population in the same group. Full time workers Employed persons who usually worked 35 hours or more a week (in all jobs) and those who, although usually working less than 35 hours a week, worked 35 hours or more during the reference week. Gross flows The matching of respondents who report in consecutive months enables analysis of the transition of individuals between the different labour force status classifications, referred to as the matched sample. The transition counts between the different labour force status classifications from one point in time to the next are commonly referred to as gross flows. The figures presented in gross flows are presented in original terms only and do not align with published labour force estimates. The gross flows figures are derived from the matched sample between consecutive months, which after taking account of the sample rotation and varying non-response in each month is approximately 80 percent of the sample. Caution should be exercised when analysing these gross flows data due to: the figures presented sum to approximately 80 percent of the population values as the gross flows data are based on the matched sample only; there is no adjustment applied to account for changes due to seasonal patterns (referred to commonly as seasonal adjustment); and the relative sizes of each transition class are subject to bias due to the matched sample being a non-representative sample. Labour force For any group, persons who were employed or unemployed, as defined. Labour force status A classification of the civilian population aged 15 years and over into employed, unemployed or not in the labour force, as defined. The definitions conform closely to the international standard definitions adopted by the International Conferences of Labour Statisticians. Labour force underutilisation rate The sum of the number of persons unemployed and the number of persons in underemployment, expressed as a proportion of the labour force. Not in labour force Persons who were not in the categories employed or unemployed as defined. Participation rate For any group, the labour force expressed as a percentage of the civilian population aged 15 years and over in the same group. Part time workers Employed persons who usually worked less than 35 hours a week (in all jobs) and either did so during the reference week, or were not at work in the reference week. Response rate The number of fully responding dwellings expressed as a percentage of the total number of dwellings excluding sample loss. Examples of sample loss include: dwellings where all persons are out of scope and/or coverage; vacant dwellings; dwellings under construction; dwellings converted to non-dwellings; derelict dwellings; and demolished dwellings. Seasonally adjusted series A time series of estimates with the estimated effects of normal seasonal variation removed. See Explanatory Notes 25 to 29 for more detail. Trend series A smoothed seasonally adjusted series of estimates. See Explanatory Notes 30 to 33 for more detail. Underemployment rate The number of underemployed workers expressed as a percentage of the labour force. Underemployed workers Employed persons aged 15 years and over who want, and are available for, more hours of work than they currently have. They comprise: persons employed part time who want to work more hours and are available to start work with more hours, either in the reference week or in the four weeks subsequent to the survey; or persons employed full time who worked part time hours in the reference week for economic reasons (such as being stood down or insufficient work being available). It is assumed that these people wanted to work full time in the reference week and would have been available to do so. Unemployed Persons 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. Unemployed looking for full time work Unemployed persons who: actively looked for full time work; or were waiting to start a new full time job. Unemployed looking for part time work Unemployed persons who: actively looked for part time work only; or were waiting to start a new part time job. Unemployment rate For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the labour force in the same group. Unemployment to population ratio For any group, the number of unemployed persons expressed as a percentage of the civilian population in the same group. Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window. This page last updated 9 September 2009

Australian Bureau of StatisticsCelebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013

Australian Bureau of Statistics
Celebrating the International Year of Statistics 2013