Evaluation of harmonized labour market status and status in employment variables

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1 Evaluation of harmonized labour market status and status in employment variables Integrated Public Use Microdata Series International Workshop - Durban Peter Buwembo Labour Statistics Division Statistics South Africa 1

2 To evaluate the integrated labour market status and status in employment variables from IPUMS data base: 1. Status variable Employed Unemployed Not economically active 2. Status in employment /Class of worker Objective 2

3 Source of data Census 1996 Census 21 Community survey 27 3

4 Employment Questions Census Does (the person) work? (for pay, profit or family gain) 1 = Yes. Go to question = No. Go to question 18.1 Census 21 P-18. In the seven days before 1 October did (the person) do any work for PAY (in cash or in kind profit or family gain, for one hour or more? 1 = Yes: formal registered (non-farming) 2 = Yes: informal unregistered (nonfarming) 3 = Yes: farming 4 = Yes: has work but was temporarily absent 5 = No: did not have work 4

5 Unemployment and inactivity Questions Census 1996 Census (For the person who is not working). Is (the person) one of the following: 1 = Unemployed and looking for work? Go to Q = Unemployed, not looking for work, but would accept work? Go to Q = Housewife/home-maker? 4 = Child not yet scholar? 5 = Scholar/full-time student? 6 = Pensioner/retired person? Go to question 2 7 = Disabled person? 8 = Not wishing to work? 9 = None of the above P-18a. What is the main reason why (the person) did not have work in the seven days before 1 October? 1 = Scholar or student 2 = Home-maker or housewife 3 = Pensioner or retired person/ too old to work 4 = Unable to work due to illness or disability 5 = Seasonal worker not working presently 6 = Does not choose to work 7 = Could not find work 5

6 Unemployment and inactivity Questions Census 1996 Census 21 P-18b. In the past four weeks before 1 October has (the person) taken active steps to find employment? Y = Yes N = No P-18c. If offered work, how soon could (the person) start? 1 = Within one week 2 = More than 1 week, up to 2 weeks 3 = More than 2 weeks, up to 4 weeks 4 = Some time after 4 weeks 5 = Does not choose to work 6

7 Non-harmonized vs harmonized: Census 1996 Harmonized (IPUMS) Employed Unemployed Inactive NIU Unknown/ missing Employed 829, ,569 Unemployed, looking for work 421, ,596 Unemployed - not looking for work, but would accept work 77,94 77,94 Not working - housewife/home-maker 176, ,184 Not working - scholar/full-time student 437, ,832 StatsSA Not working - pensioner/retired person 234, ,744 Not working - disabled person 27,522 27,522 Not working - not wishing to work 27,258 27,258 Not working - none of the above 12,439 12,439 Unknown 6,955 6,955 NIU (not in universe) 475, , , ,69 1,5, ,976 6,955 2,817,169 Moved those not looking for work but would accept a job to unemployed : This was the only option they have 7

8 Non-harmonized vs harmonized: Census 21 Harmonized (IPUMS) Employed Unemployed Inactive NIU Employed 768,71 768,71 Unemployed 561, ,432 Scholar or student 416, ,424 Home-maker or housewife 142,96 142,96 Pensioner or retired person/too old to work 17,66 17,66 StatsSA Unable to work due to illness or disability 59,489 59,489 Seasonal worker not working presently 17,485 17,485 Does not choose to work 9,774 9,774 Could not find work 175,58 175,58 NIU (not in universe) 63,41 63,41 768,71 736,94 834,792 63,41 2,943,843 Moved those who said could not find work into unemployment: There are options to improve on the above to facilitate comparisons 8

9 Non-harmonized vs harmonized: Census 21 The option (Unemployed, not looking for work, but would accept work in the census 1996 questionnaire can be reconstructed from census 21 The census 21 questionnaire included questions on Job search (reference of 4 weeks prior to census night) and availability Relax Job search and keep individual who would accept a job. i.e include those who did not look for work but would accept a job in unemployment, this would be close to the 1996 census This includes also the seasonal workers who indicated that they would accept a job since they were not identified separately in

10 Community Survey Harmonized (IPUMS) Employed, (not specified) Unemployed (not specified) Inactive NIU (not in universe) Unknown/ missing Employed 236,68 236,68 Unemployed 119, ,227 Statssa Not economically active 235, ,829 24,511 24,511 NIU (not in universe) Unknown (not working, reason unknown) 12,414 12, ,68 119, ,829 24,511 12, ,661 It seems no attempt of harmonization was done but those who did not look for work but available to take a job can still be identified to make this comparable to census 1996 and the suggested census 21. 1

11 Detailed employment status variable: Census 1996 Harmonized detailed categories census 1996 (IPUMS) Employ ed Unemplo yed, not specified No work availa ble House work Unable to work/ disable d In school Retiree s/ pensio ners Inactive, other reasons * Employed Unemployed, looking for work Not working - not looking for work, but would accept work Not working - housewife/home-maker Not working - scholar/full-time student S t a t s S A Not working - pensioner/retired person Not working - disabled person Not working - not wishing to work Not working - none of the above The category No work available might be difficult to maintain. 11

12 Detailed employment status variable: Census 21 Emp loyed Unemp loyed No work available House work Unable to work/disa bled In school Retirees/ pensione rs Not workin g, season al worker Inacti ve, other reaso ns Employed Unemployed Scholar or student Home-maker or housewife Pensioner or retired person/too old to work Unable to work due to illness or disability Seasonal worker not working presently Does not choose to work Could not find work No work available category is equivalent to Not working - not looking for work, but would accept work category in 1996 census while in census 21 No work available is equivalent to Could not find work Seasonal work category is not sustainable (Not in census 1996, introduced in 21) 12

13 Detailed employment status variable No work available category in both 1996 census and 21 census is classified as unemployed in the short harmonized employment status variable then in the detailed it is categorized as No work available Tables of the harmonized detailed employment status variable yield different unemployment figures which might be confusing. (Short=736,94 vs the Detailed= ) Among this group there are those who responded that they have chosen not to work to the question of availability (P-18c) and others have indicated that they would accept a job, 13

14 Detailed employment status variable The category of seasonal worker will not be sustainable It was not there in 1996 Detailed Harmonized employment status in census 21 is not comparable with the one in census 1996 Currently in Quarterly Labour Force Survey this category go through the job search and availability questions, if they satisfy the two condition they are classified as unemployed. The proposed census 211 module is similar Note in census 21 almost 65.9% of seasonal work category indicated that they would accept a job, then 46% had also looked for employment 14

15 Recommendation for the Detailed employment status Detailed employment status to have the following categories 1. Employed 2. Unemployed, seeking and available 3. Not working, not seeking but available (Discouraged, if possible) 4. In school 5. Housework 6. Unable to work/disabled 7. Pensioner 8. Inactive (Other reasons) Drop the seasonal work and the No work available categories Both categories to check for Job search and availability questions then classify them in either category 2 or category 3 and the residual in the last category 8 15

16 Status in employment/class of worker: Harmonized (IMPUMS) Self-employed Wage/salary worker Unpaid worker NIU Paid employee Paid family worker StatsSA Self-employed Employer Unpaid family worker NIU (not in universe)

MAIN LABOUR FORCE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2017

MAIN LABOUR FORCE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE FIRST QUARTER OF 2017 MAN LABOUR FORCE SURVEY RESULTS FOR THE FRST QUARTER OF 2017 Main labour market indicators for the first quarter of 2017 The activity rate for population aged 15-64 was 69.2%, by 0.9 percentage points