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Absence from work

An absence from the workplace during normal working hours of at least three hours. Absences due to the following have been excluded:

• rostered day off
• time off on flex leave/time off in lieu
• workers compensation
• self-employed (no leave).

A short period of leave granted upon the death of a close family relative.

Days of the week usually works in main job

Persons who, when asked 'on which days of the week do you usually work in your job' did not give one of the following responses:

• Monday to Friday
• Nine day fortnight
• Days vary from week to week
• Days vary from month to month.

Dependent student

A child who is 15-24 years of age, who is attending full-time education, and who has no partner or child of his or her own usually resident in the same household.

Employee

A person who works for a public or private employer and receives remuneration in wages, salary, a retainer fee by their employer while working on a commission basis, tips or piece-rates, or a person who operates his or her own incorporated enterprise with or without hiring employees. In this publication, employee relates to employee in his/her main job and excludes payment in kind.

Examination leave

Refer to Study leave.

Flex leave

Time off that must be made up in another work period or that is granted for time that has already been made up by working extra hours. See also Time off in lieu.

Formal child care

Includes any arrangements made for the care of children under 12 years of age by one or more of the following:

• a child care centre
• a long day care centre
• an occasional care centre
• a preschool/kindergarten
• before and/or after school care (attendance at school is not classed as formal child care)
• family day care
• vacation care
• the workplace.

Persons who were employees in their main job and:

• (for single job holders) usually work 35 hours or more a week, or usually work less than 35 hours but worked 35 hours or more in the reference week
• (for multiple job holders) actually worked 35 hours or more in main job in the reference week, or were away from their main job but usually work 35 hours or more in all jobs.

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. In this publication full-time workers relates to full-time workers who were employees in their main job.

Holiday leave

Provision by employers of paid holiday, vacation or recreation leave, which normally accrues during a set period and can be taken at an approved time. This is collected by responses to the question ‘Does your employer provide you with paid holiday leave?’.

Hours worked

The number of hours actually worked during the reference week.

Industry

Classified according to the Australian and New Zealand Standard Industrial Classification (ANZSIC), 1993 (cat. no. 1292.0). In this publication, industry relates to the main job.

Informal child care

Includes any of the following arrangements made for the care of children under 12 years of age:

• took child to work
• child looked after by self, spouse, family member or other relative
• child looked after by neighbours, friends or nanny
• child was not looked after by anyone or no child care used.

Describes shifts that do not follow a set pattern.

Job-share arrangement

A formal arrangement where two or more people share one full-time job. Each person sharing the job works less than 35 hours.

Leave entitlements

The entitlement of employees to either paid holiday leave or paid sick leave (or both) in their main job.

Main English-speaking countries

The United Kingdom, Ireland, South Africa, Canada, the United States of America and New Zealand.

Main job

The job in which a person usually works the most hours.

Maternity/paternity leave

Provision by employers of paid maternity/paternity leave. This is collected by responses to the question 'Does your employer provide you with paid maternity/paternity leave?'.

Occupation

Classified according to the Australian Standard Classification of Occupations, Second Edition (cat. no. 1220.0). In this publication, occupation relates to the main job and is shown at the ASCO Major Group level.

Overtime

Work undertaken which is outside, or in addition to, ordinary working hours of the respondent in their main job, whether paid or unpaid.

Overtime worked on a regular basis

This is collected by responses to the question 'In your job with your employer, do you work overtime, either paid or unpaid, on a regular basis?'.

Part-time employees in main job

Persons who were employees in their main job and:

• (for single job holders) usually work less than 35 hours a week, and did so in the reference week
• (for multiple job holders) actually worked less than 35 hours in their main job in the reference week, or were away from their main job but usually work less than 35 hours a week in all jobs.

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. In this publication part-time workers relates to part-time workers who were employees in their main job.

Parental leave

Leave taken by either parent to care for children.

Reference week

The week preceding the week in which the interview was conducted.

Regular shifts

Shifts worked to a set pattern of times. Regular shift times are presented as follows:

• morning shifts - between 6.00 am and 12.00 pm
• afternoon shifts - between 12.00 pm and 5.00 pm
• evening, night or graveyard shift - between 5.00 pm and 6.00 am.

Rostered Day Off

Scheme where employees accumulate time off by working extra hours on a number of other work days. The allocation of work time is rostered over a prescribed period. This is collected by responses to the question 'Does your job with your employer entitle you to a rostered day off?'.

Sector of main job

Used to classify a respondent’s employer as a public or private enterprise. The public sector includes all government units, such as government departments, non-market nonprofit institutions that are controlled and mainly financed by government, and corporations and quasi-corporations that are controlled by government.

Shifts

Split shift - Occurs when the workday period is broken by an extended unpaid ‘free’ period, thereby constituting an extended working day consisting of two (or more) shifts.

Rotating shift - A shift arrangement, in which the shift worked changes periodically from one time period to another, for example from mornings or afternoons to evenings or nights.

On call - A shift arrangement, for being available, when not at work, to be contacted to resume work. An allowance may be paid to the employee for being on call.

Shift work

A system of working whereby the daily hours of operation at the place of employment are split into at least two set work periods (shifts), for different groups of workers. This is collected by responses to the question 'Did you do any shift work at any time during the last 4 weeks?'.

Sick leave

Provision by employers of paid sick leave. This is collected by responses to the question ‘Does your employer provide you with paid sick leave?’.

Start and finish times are fixed

Persons who said the times they start and finish work are set. These persons were asked 'did you have any say in setting these fixed times?'. Persons who said yes were classed as 'times were negotiated with employer'; persons who said no were classed as 'times were not negotiated with employer'.

Start and finish times are not fixed

Persons who said the times they start and finish work are not set. These persons were asked 'excluding overtime can you choose when you start or finish work on a day to day basis?'. Persons who answered yes, were classed as 'start and finish times are variable daily'; persons who answered no, were classed as 'start and finish times are not variable daily'.

Study leave

Leave to attend classes, examinations, or to study for a qualification from an educational institution.

Time off in lieu

Time off that must be made up in another work period or that has already been made up by working extra hours.

Trade union

An organisation consisting predominantly of employees, the principal activities of which include the negotiation of rates of pay and conditions of employment for its members.

Trade union member

Employees with membership in a trade union in conjunction with their main job.

Unapproved leave

Unofficial or informal leave that has not been granted by the employer.

Whether able to work extra hours in order to take time off

This is collected by responses to the question 'Can you work extra hours in order to take time off?'. Persons who answered yes were classed as 'able to work extra hours'. Persons who answer no were classed as 'unable to work extra hours'.

With leave entitlements in main job

Employees who were entitled to either paid holiday leave or paid sick leave (or both) in their main job.

Without leave entitlements in main job

Employees who were entitled to neither paid holiday leave nor paid sick leave in their main job.

Workers' compensation leave

Leave taken due to illness or injury sustained while at work or on a journey to or from work, or an aggravation of a pre-existing condition where employment was a contributory factor, and which is covered by workers' compensation.