6293.0 - Information Paper 1/95: Survey of Employment and Unemployment Patterns - Background and Overview, Apr 1995
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 01/04/1995
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INTRODUCTION
In order to achieve these two broad objectives, the survey will aim to measure changes in the labour market at a broad level while the Job Compact is operating, to provide information over a number of years of the determinants of change in the labour force status of 'jobseekers', and to assist a comparison between Job Compact participants and other long-term unemployed people in terms of their success in finding and retaining jobs. The main issues to be addressed by SEUP are outlined below, in the form of a series of questions. However, it should be noted that while this survey will contribute valuable information to enable these questions to be tested, not all the issues they raise will be able to be addressed by the results of this survey alone, and the SEUP should be seen as part of a much broader approach to evaluation of the Working Nation initiatives, which includes other surveys, and studies based on administrative records.
THE SURVEY SAMPLE The survey population consists of those people considered to be most likely to be currently eligible for labour market assistance or likely to become eligible for assistance in the near future. It has been determined after consultation with government officials, labour market analysts and other users and is designed to enable the survey objectives to be met in the most efficient manner. In broad terms, the sample will comprise persons resident in private dwellings who are aged 15 to 59. Within this broad population, there will be three subgroups: "Jobseekers" This subgroup comprises unemployed persons, part-time workers looking for a job with more hours, and others indicating a desire to join the labour force in the near future. A more detailed description is provided in Attachment A. It will facilitate the study of differences between the outcomes of Job Compact participants and those of 'similar' groups not participating in the Job Compact. General population reference group This subgroup comprises a random sample of the population aged 15 to 59. It has been included because of the need to have a reference group of the general population so that outcomes of various programs can be assessed in the context of general labour market conditions. Known Job Compact participants This subgroup is a sample of persons who have commenced a Job Compact job placement and/or commenced a training program between July 1994 and February 1995. This component of the sample has been included to ensure that the initial sample includes a sufficient number of Job Compact participants. The expected initial size of each of these subgroups is shown in the following table.
These sample numbers allow for attrition throughout the survey period. That is, it was decided that it was preferable to initially recruit a larger number, rather than to start smaller, and "top up" each year - this strategy maximises the number of respondents for whom data will be available for the full life of the survey. Overview of collection strategy and data content Recruitment of the initial sample for the survey and the collection of some baseline socio-demographic characteristics will take place between April and June 1995. Following this, the panel will be visited once each year for as long as the survey continues. At these visits, two distinct types of information will be collected by personal interview - information in respect of a reference period, and current, or point in time information. Reference period information Reference periods for the initial three data collection waves are as follows: Wave 1 - 5 September 1994 to 3 September 1995; Wave 2 - 4 September 1995 to 1 September 1996; and Wave 3 - 2 September 1996 to 31 August 1997. The information to be collected about these reference periods falls into two broad categories, labour market activity information, and training activity information. Labour market activity information Information will be sought about:
As an overview of labour market activity throughout the reference period, the following summary information will be available about all episodes:
While it would be desirable to collect much more detail about all episodes, the constraints of the interview situation, and the ability of panel members to recall with accuracy the detail of events up to 12 months ago, mean that this will not be possible for respondents who experience many changes throughout the period. It has, therefore, been decided that detailed labour market activity data will be collected about the following episodes:
Field testing has indicated that since there are relatively few persons that have extensive multiple episodes, for most respondents an extensive range of data will be available for all episodes throughout the reference period. This data will focus on:
Training activity information Data will be collected about training undertaken during the reference period, with a distinction being made between in-house courses undertaken while employed, and external courses provided by other than the employer. Data available for the most significant training undertaken will include:
In order to assist respondents with recall over the reference period they will be provided with some recall aids, such as a diary and a calendar. In addition, information collected in the preceding interview will be used in the next interview to improve response and to reduce respondent load. Point in time information In addition to the episodal information outlined above, the survey will collect/update point in time information each year. This information will relate to the date of the interview, which will usually be September / October each year. Type of details to be collected each year include:
Information collected direct from the respondent will, where possible, be supplemented with certain data from both DEET and DSS administrative systems. A detailed list of all data items expected to be available is available on request. Sample attrition The ability to maintain contact with a high proportion of the initial sample will be critical to the usefulness of the survey data. A number of strategies will be put in place to help the ABS to stay in touch with people between interviews. Results from the survey It is intended that the first publication containing survey results will be released in March 1996, with subsequent publications each year in March. More detailed tables and facilities to access unit records from the survey are expected to be available from June of each year. No information will be released in a way that would enable an individual to be identified. Analysis of survey data The primary purpose of the survey is to support the longitudinal analysis of jobseekers' employment and unemployment dynamics (or labour market transitions) and, more generally, provide a quantitative insight into how the labour market functions over time. The ABS intends to develop a program to encourage analysis of the survey data in Government policy agencies and by labour market researchers. The intention will be to focus such analysis in areas of direct policy relevance. Further information It is expected that the next Information Paper will be released about September 1995, and that this will provide more details of the actual sample following recruitment. For further information about the survey, and/or to be added to the mailing list for future information, please contact Colleen Ray on telephone (06) 252 7886 or fax (06) 252 6571. Labour Branch Australian Bureau of Statistics April 1995 ATTACHMENT A DETAILS OF JOBSEEKER SUB GROUP The Jobseeker component of the SEUP sample will consist of persons aged 15 to 59 who meet the following criteria. 1. Unemployed Persons Persons who were not employed in the reference week, and had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the last 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week, and
But excluding : (a) Persons currently unemployed who were stood down without pay for less than 4 weeks, ie they were waiting to be called back to a full-time or part-time job from which they had been stood down without pay for less than 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week (including the whole of the reference week) for reasons other than bad weather or plant breakdown. (b) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work. 2. Persons Not in the Labour Force who were Discouraged Jobseekers Persons Not in the Labour Force who : Wanted to work and were available to start work within the next 4 weeks but whose main reason for not taking active steps to find work was that they believed they would not find a job for any of the following reasons:
But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who although were not currently looking for work, wanted to work and preferred a part-time job. 3. Persons Not in the Labour Force Persons who wanted to work and were available to start work within 4 weeks, but whose main reason for not taking active steps to find work was that they were attending an Educational Institution or were on a job related training program. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who although were not currently looking for work, wanted to work and preferred a part-time job. 4. Persons Not in the Labour Force who wanted to work but were not available to start work Persons who in the 4 weeks up to the end of the reference week had taken active steps to look for work, but did not meet the criteria to be classified as unemployed as they were not available to start work in the reference week. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work. 5. Part-time workers Persons who usually work less that 10 hours per week, who had been actively looking for work for more hours and were available to start work within 4 weeks. But excluding: (a) Full-time students, aged 15 to 24, who were currently looking for part-time work with more hours Document Selection These documents will be presented in a new window.
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