Employment and Unemployment Patterns
CONTACT
Assistant Director
Education and Training Section
Australian Bureau of Statistics
Telephone (02) 6252 7401
Facsimile (02) 6252 8013
DESCRIPTION
This longitudinal survey tracks the labour market activities ( i.e. working, looking for work or absent from the labour market) of the same group of people over three years, from September 1994 to September 1997. The survey targeted three subgroups in the population: jobseekers - persons who are unemployed, underemployed or marginally attached to the labour force; a general population reference group; and labour market program participants - persons who had commenced a subsidised employment placement and/or commenced a labour market training program between July 1994 and February 1995.
By following the experiences of the same people over time, the survey brings out the dynamics of the labour market in such a way that it is easier to identify patterns and draw conclusions about how events are related. The survey of Employment and Unemployment Patterns also provides some information about changes over time in the composition of a respondent's family.
For each selected dwelling, detailed information is collected from only one respondent. As the survey's focus is on the respondent, only basic family information is collected for other people in the dwelling, such as household type, family type, the relationship between other persons in the household to the reference person and the age of other members in the household. A limited amount of labour force and income information is also collected from the respondent about their partner and other people in the household.
SCOPE
All persons aged 15-59 in private dwellings except certain diplomatic personnel of overseas governments, members of non-Australian defence forces (and their dependents) stationed in Australia and overseas residents visiting Australia. The survey was conducted in both urban and rural areas in all States and Territories, but excluded persons living in some remote and sparsely settled parts of Australia.
DISSEMINATION
Publications
Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns (cat. no. 6286.0)
Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns, First Results, 1994 to 1996 (cat. no. 6289.0).
Data service
Customised unpublished data are available in a variety of formats.
Australians' Employment and Unemployment Patterns, Unit Record File (cat. no. 6286.0.30.001).
Data Details
Data are available at person level only.
The following data items were collected each year of the survey and represent the current situation on the survey collection date :
Demographic and family information
Age
Sex
Relationship in household
Social marital status
Birthplace
Year of arrival in Australia
Language use
Disability status
Family type
Household type
Indigenous status
Other selected topics
Employment
Housing
Educational attainment
The following labour market data items were also collected annually and represent what happened in the preceding 12 months.
Labour market activity
Number, start/finish date, duration of:
- episodes of working
- episodes of looking for work
- absences from the labour market
Job search experience
Breaks from the labour market
Other selected topics
Labour market program participation
Income
Training
GEOGRAPHIC COVERAGE
Australia. Some data available for each State and Territory, and for rural and urban areas in some States.
FREQUENCY OF COLLECTION
Conducted from 1995 - 1997.
METHOD OF COLLECTION
Special Social Survey. Recruitment of the initial sample for the survey and the collection of baseline socio-demographic characteristics commenced in April 1995. Following this, the respondents were visited in September each year from 1995 to 1997. During these visits, information was collected about labour market activities undertaken during the reference period, and about personal characteristics as at the time of interview.
HISTORICAL DATA
None.
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