What questions are asked in the SSEC?
This survey collects information on employment contracts. This information will be used by both private and public sectors for economic planning, policy formulation and monitoring Australia’s economy.
How do we answer the SSEC?
The ABS sends correspondence with a code to access the latest survey form. Simply go online to set up an account or if you already have one, log in and add your Form Access Code to retrieve the form.
The account is a secure service that allows a form to be accessed as many times as is needed before final submission. The same account can be used to access and answer future surveys.
Why is a response from this business/organisation important?
Your participation in the survey provides essential information to understand the prevalence of employment conditions in employment contracts. A response from this business/organisation is important as it represents other businesses/organisations with similar characteristics in the Australian economy, across employment size, broad industry, and sector.
Why was this business/organisation selected for the SSEC?
A sample of approximately 7,300 businesses/organisations have been selected for the SSEC. The sample was selected from the Australian Business Register which contains the names and addresses of all businesses/organisations that have registered an ABN with the Australian Taxation Office.
What is the legal authority for this survey?
The information in this survey is collected under the authority of the Census and Statistics Act 1905. The Act ensures that information is kept strictly confidential and only used for statistical purposes.
We conduct follow-up of delayed responses, and we will assist you if you are having difficulties.
Are these responses kept confidential?
Yes.
Your completed form and personal information will remain strictly confidential to the ABS.
The information is used to calculate statistics, and these are only released in the form of aggregated data that do not allow identification of individuals, businesses/organisations.
Do we have to complete the survey right now?
Yes.
The industry, business and government users of SSEC statistics need the most accurate and timely information possible so they can make important decisions. When completing your form, if exact figures are not available, please provide careful estimates.
We're having trouble completing the survey online - where can we find help?
For more information on completing our surveys online, help is available on our Survey Account Help page. This page provides assistance with technical difficulties and includes frequently asked questions which assist in creating and using the ABS Survey Account.
If you need assistance in completing the web form, or have difficulties doing so before the due date, an extension of time may be available. Please call 1800 685 490 (+61 2 6252 8632 outside Australia) and one of our team will be happy to assist you.
If you would like more general information about participating in one of our surveys, please see our Participating in a survey page.
Who can we contact for more information or to provide feedback?
You can call us on 1800 685 490 (+61 2 6252 8632 outside Australia) between 9:00am and 5:00pm, Monday to Friday. If you call us outside these hours, please leave a message with your contact details and we will return your call as soon as possible.
You can also use our online Business Surveys Contact Form to outline the details of your situation and we will be in touch.
The ABS provides statistics free-of-charge via the ABS website: www.abs.gov.au