Section 6: Economic activity
[All persons age 14 and older]
[Questions 25-29 refer to the past week]
27. Worker or occupational status during past week:
Worked for others:
[] Government
[] Private enterprise
[] Private household
[] Unpaid worker
Has own business/farm:
[] With paid help
[] Without paid help
[] Did not work
[] Not stated
Section 6 - Economic Activity
5.47 General
Section 6 is comprised of Questions 25 to 31 and should be asked of persons 14 years and over. The main purpose of this section is to determine which individuals were in the working force of the country at some time during the week preceding Census Day. The most difficult and perhaps important of the concepts here is that of 'work.' It is essential, therefore, that Census Takers understand fully the precise definition of the term 'work' in this context and that this meaning should be made clear to respondents by the method of questioning them. The Census Taker and all persons working on the Census must, therefore, understand and remember the following carefully:
5.48 Definition of Work
Work includes:
(a) Work with Pay that is:
(i) Work for others for a wage or salary including commission or tips. Work may be done either in the employ of the Government a business organization, some private or public organization, or an individual.
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(This corresponds to Worked for Others Government or Non-Government in Question 27).
(ii) Work as trainee (such as nurses in training) or apprentice (persons at trade). (This also might be applicable at alternative 1 or 2 in Question 27).
(iii) Work for self in One's own business or farm which is run for profit or fees, but does not employ paid help. (This corresponds to Has Own Business or Farm - W/Out Paid Help at Question 27).
(iv) Running for profit or fees one's own business or farm which employs paid help. (This corresponds to Question 27 - Has Own Business or Farm - With Paid Help).
(b) Work Without Pay in a business or farm which is run for profit, that is:
(i) Work without pay in a business or farm run for profit, (usually by a relative), in cases where the individual is either supported by the owner or obtains some benefits other than cash from the running of the business (See Unpaid Worker at Question 27).
(ii) Work as an unpaid helper in a business or other organization, in cases where the respondent is learning a trade or profession in this way, with a view to engaging in work for pay (See Unpaid Worker at Question 27).
Do not include in "Working", those persons who:
(i) worked without money or pay for a relative or other person at tasks which did not contribute to the operation of a farm or of a business e.g. housework, gardening, odd jobs around the house or yard such as painting the fence, etc.
(ii) worked without pay assisting a relative or friend in his duties as an employee.
(iii) worked without pay either in cash or in kind as a volunteer worker for service organizations or church groups - such as the Red Cross, Boy Scouts, Girl Guides, Society for the Blind, Operation Workshop, etc.
Note also that 'Work' must relate to work in Jamaica. It includes, however, those persons who are residing in the territory but are working on boats, ships, airplanes etc. which may operate outside of the territory, as well as travelling salesmen, consultants, etc. Also included are persons going as contract workers to the U.S.A. for a few
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months to work on farms there during the crop season. Other persons who live and work outside of the country should not be classified as having worked with respect to the time they were resident outside of the country.
5.52 Question 27 - Worker or Occupational Status During Past Week
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The categories which apply in this question have all been defined at paragraph 5.45 above. For persons who gave their economic activity as 'Worked' you should determine what the type of work or occupational status was.
For those persons who during the week, had held two or more jobs (either at different times or at the same time) you should classify them according to the more important job, which in most cases would be the job that provided the greater income. You should proceed to get the required information by asking two questions. First, "As regards to the job (or the principal job) which you (he/she) had during the week before the Census, did you (he/she) work in your (his/her) own business or for someone else?"
If worked for others ask: "Did you (he/she) work for a salary or wages or were you (was he/she) working without pay in a family business or to learn an occupation?" The answer will indicate whether the individual is to be classified under Government, Non-Government or Unpaid Worker.
If For Self then ask: "'Did you (he/she) usually have paid workers working for you (him/her) in this business?"
The answer 'Yes' or 'No' will indicate whether you are to score the individual under 'Has Own Business or Farm - With Paid Help' or 'Without Paid Help'.
Persons not classified as Worked at Question 25 must be scored as Did Not Work in Question 27.