6220.0 - Persons Not in the Labour Force, Australia, September 2012 Quality Declaration 
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 07/03/2013   
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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 fewer 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.


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.


MARGINAL ATTACHMENT TO THE LABOUR FORCE

The criteria for determining those in the labour force are based on activity (i.e. working or looking for work) and availability to start work during the reference week. The criteria associated with marginal attachment to the labour force, in particular the concepts of wanting to work and reasons for not actively looking for work, are more subjective. Hence, the measurement against these criteria is affected by the respondent's own interpretation of the concepts used. An individual respondent's interpretation may be affected by their work aspirations, as well as family, economic and other commitments.



ACTIVELY LOOKING FOR WORK

People who were taking active steps to find work. Active steps comprise:
    • writing, telephoning or applying to an employer for work;
    • answering an advertisement for a job;
    • checking noticeboards;
    • 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.

AVAILABILITY TO START WORK WITHIN FOUR WEEKS

Refers to whether people were available to start work within four weeks or, for people with children aged 12 years and under, whether they could start work within four weeks if suitable child care was available.