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Labour Statistics: Concepts, Sources and Methods was originally released in 2001 in both electronic and paper versions (cat. no. 6102.0). The paper publication will not be rereleased. However, the web version (cat. no. 6102.0.55.001) is being updated on an ongoing basis. This chapter was first released on 8 February, 2006.



INTRODUCTION

22.1.1 The Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation topic is included in the Multi Purpose Household Survey (MPHS) every two years. The Barriers and Incentives topic was first conducted in 2004–05.

22.1.2 The survey topic collects information about people who are not employed or who work few hours (15 hours a week or less in all jobs). The survey provides information on the potential labour force and what is preventing these people finding or taking up (more) work.

22.1.3 This section describes only those aspects of the methodology that are unique to this survey so it should be used in conjunction with the overview part of this chapter (Chapter 22), which outlines the survey methodology used in the MPHS.


SURVEY OUTPUT

22.1.4 Data from the survey are published in Barriers and Incentives to Labour Force Participation, Australia (cat. no. 6239.0). An expanded Confidentialised Unit Record File (CURF) will be made available from the 2004–05 MPHS via the Remote Access Data Laboratory (RADL). Other estimates are available on request.

22.1.5 Data from the survey relate to people aged 18 years and over. The main populations of interest are people who are not employed (i.e. either unemployed or not in the labour force), and people who usually work 15 hours a week or less in all jobs. Estimates are produced on an original basis only (i.e. not seasonally adjusted) and include:

Socio-demographic information	Sex, age, marital status, relationship in household, whether household has children aged under 15 years, state or territory of usual residence, country of birth and period of arrival in Australia, education (e.g. level of highest educational attainment) and income (e.g. weekly gross income, sources of income, partner's income and household income).
People who usually work 0-15 hours per week in all jobs	Hours usually worked in all jobs, status in employment (i.e. employee, employer, own account worker or contributing family worker), full time or part-time status, details of current main job (e.g. hours usually worked, occupation, industry, duration), time since last full-time job, details of last full-time job, reason for ceasing last full-time job, unpaid activities when not working, whether prefers to work more hours than usually works, preferred number of hours, all reasons for not wanting to work more hours, whether looking for more hours, whether looking for part-time or full-time work, all reasons for not looking for more hours, main reason for not looking for more hours, main reason not available for more hours and difficulties finding more hours.
Unemployed people	Duration of current period of unemployment, unpaid activities, difficulties finding work, whether has ever worked and previous job details (e.g. whether has ever had a full-time job, whether previous work was full-time or part-time, time since last job, employment type of last job, occupation and industry of last job, reason for ceasing last job).
People who aren't in the labour force	Whether would like a paid job, whether would prefer to work full-time or part-time, preferred length/tenure of job, whether would accept a short-term/temporary job, whether available to start work in the reference week, time until available to start work, main reason not available to start work, main childcare reason not available to start work, all reasons for not wanting to work, whether looking for work and difficulties finding work.