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INTRODUCTION

20.3.1 The Forms of Employment Survey was conducted for the first time in August 1998. Currently the survey is intended to be conducted on a semi-regular basis, with the next survey planned for November 2001.

20.3.2 The aim of the Forms of Employment Survey is to provide information on some of the key factors relating to the nature of employment arrangements. To this end, the survey collects information on people employed in a range of situations, such as contractors, employees of labour hire firms and casuals. The survey also provided information on where people working under such arrangements would be classified in the monthly Labour Force Survey.

20.3.3 This section describes only those aspects of the methodology that are unique to this survey, and hence should be used in conjunction with the overview part of this chapter, which outlines the survey methodology used in supplementary surveys.


SURVEY OUTPUT

20.3.4 Data from the survey are published in Forms of Employment, Australia (Cat. no. 6359.0). More detailed estimates are available on request, and a confidentialised unit record file from the 1998 survey is also available (Cat. no. 6359.0.00.001).

20.3.5 The main population of interest is employed persons (excluding those working solely for payment in kind, and contributing family workers). 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, family, geographic region, birthplace and year of arrival in Australia. .
Employed persons	Full-time or part-time status, occupation, industry, whether has PAYE tax deducted from earnings, continuous duration with current employer/business, expected future duration with current employer/business, reason for leaving employer/business (if planning to leave), whether earnings vary, hours worked in main job in reference week, status in employment, employment type (employees with leave entitlements, self-identified casuals, other employed persons, owner managers of incorporated enterprises, owner managers of unincorporated enterprises), and whether prefers more or fewer hours of work. .
Labour Force Survey Employees	Sector (public/private), permanent or casual status, whether receives paid holiday leave, whether receives paid sick leave, whether receives long service leave, whether receives superannuation, whether a member of a trade union, and hours paid for in main job.
	.
Employment type: employees with leave entitlements	Whether employment has a set completion date, whether on a fixed term contract, whether expects contract to be renewed (if on a contract), and whether paid by an employment agency. .
Employment type: self-identified casuals	Whether employment has a set completion date, whether on a fixed term contract, whether expects contract to be renewed (if on a contract), whether looked for alternative employment in last three months, whether looked for permanent employment, and whether paid by an employment agency. .
Employment type: other employed persons	Whether undertakes contract work, whether has more than one contract, whether able to subcontract own work, main reason unable to subcontract own work (if unable to do so), whether contract prevents working for multiple clients, whether has control over own working procedures, whether employment has a set completion date, whether on a fixed term contract, whether expects contract to be renewed (if on a contract), whether receives a payslip, and whether paid by an employment agency. .
Employment type: owner managers	Whether has employees, whether undertakes contract work, whether has more than one contract, whether able to subcontract own work, main reason unable to subcontract own work (if unable to do so), whether contract prevents working for multiple clients, whether has control over own working procedures, level of dependence on client, whether draws a wage or salary and whether invoices or bills for own payment (only asked of owner managers of unincorporated enterprises).