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Data Element Detail

Labour force status
Identifying and Definitional Attributes
QH 040828 v1
Data Element
Data Element
Current
02-Sep-2003		Superseded
30-Jun-2009
Standard
02-Sep-2003
30-Jun-2009
The self reported status the person currently has in being either in the labour force (employed/unemployed) or not in the labour force. The categories are determined by a person's status in relation to current economic activity (which is measured by their activities in relation to work in a specified reference period).
Labour force status is one indicator of the socio-economic status of a person and is a key element in assessing the circumstances and needs of individuals and families.
Labour force status
Representational Attributes
Numeric
Code
N
1
1
Permissible Values

Permissible_values

CodeDescription
1Employed
2Unemployed
3Not in the labour force
Supplementary Values

Supplemenary_values

CodeDescription
9Not stated / inadequately described
Collection and Usage Attributes
Definitions for these categories are:
Employed:
Employed persons comprise all those aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week:
(a) worked for one hour or more for pay, profit, commission or payment in kind in a job or business, or on a farm (comprising 'Employees', 'Employers' and 'Own Account Workers'); or
(b) worked for one hour or more without pay in a family business or on a farm (i.e. 'Contributing Family Worker'); or
(c) were 'Employees' who had a job but were not at work and were:
-on paid leave
-on leave without pay, for less than four weeks, up to the end of the reference week
-stood down without pay because of bad weather or plant breakdown at their place of employment, for less than four weeks up to the end of the reference week
-on strike or locked out
-on workers' compensation and expected to be returning to their job, or
-receiving wages or salary while undertaking full-time study; or
(d) were 'Employers', 'Own Account Workers' or 'Contributing Family Workers' who had a job, business or farm, but were not at work.
Unemployed:
Unemployed persons are those aged 15 years and over who were not employed during the reference week, and:
(a) had actively looked for full-time or part-time work at any time in the four weeks up to the end of the reference week. Were available for work in the reference week, or would have been available except for temporary illness (i.e. lasting for less than four weeks to the end of the reference week). Or were waiting to start a new job within four weeks from the end of the reference week and would have started in the reference week if the job had been available then; or
(b) 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 four 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.
Note: Actively looking for work includes writing, telephoning or applying in person to an employer for work. It also includes answering a newspaper advertisement for a job, checking factory or job placement agency notice boards, being registered with a job placement agency, checking or registering with any other employment agency, advertising or tendering for work or contacting friends or relatives.
Not in the Labour Force:
Persons not in the labour force are those persons aged 15 years and over who, during the reference week, were not in the categories employed or unemployed, as defined. They include persons who were keeping house (unpaid), retired, voluntarily inactive, permanently unable to work, persons in institutions (hospitals, gaols, sanatoriums, etc.), trainee teachers, members of contemplative religious orders, and persons whose only activity during the reference week was jury service or unpaid voluntary work for a charitable organisation.
Relational Attributes
Related Metadata References

Related Metadata References_IR

  • 1 - 1
ViewRelationshipMetadata Item TypeMetadata Item SubtypeNameIdentifier & VersionApproval Status
Relates toData ElementData ElementPostcode-AustralianQH 040395 Version 2Superseded
Implementation in Metadata Sets

Implemented

No Metadata Items
Source and Reference Attributes
Australian Institute of Health and Welfare
METeOR data element: Person-labour force status, code N, Identifier 270112, Health standard 01/03/2005 https://meteor.aihw.gov.au/content/index.phtml/itemId/270112/meteorItemView/long
Labour force;