Section 6: Economic activity
[Persons age 14 and older]
[Go to Question 8.1 for persons younger than 14 years]
6.7. What did you / did [the respondent] do most during the past 12 months? For example did you/did he/did she work, look for work, keep house or what?
[] Worked or had a job
[] Looked for work (go to Question 7.1)
[] Student (go to Question 7.1)
[] Home duties (go to Question 7.1)
[] Retired (go to Question 7.1)
[] Disabled, unable to work (go to Question 7.1)
[] Other (go to Question 7.1)
[] Not Stated
Section 6 - Economic Activity
5.63 General
Section 6 is comprised of Questions 6.1 - 6.9 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 point in time. Questions 6.1 - 6.6 and Question 6.9 relate to the week preceding the census while Questions 6.7 - 6.8 relate to the preceding twelve months. The most difficult and perhaps important of the concepts here is that of WORK. It is essential therefore that you 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.
5.64 Definition of Work
(a) Work includes:
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 employment of the government, a business organization, some private or public organization or an individual. (This corresponds to the categories - Paid Employee of Government, Private Enterprise or Private Home - Q6.3).
(ii) Work as trainee (such as nurses in training) or apprentice (persons at trade)
(iii) Work for self in one's own business (including farm) which is run for profit or fees but does not employ paid help.
(This corresponds to Own Business Without Paid Employee - Q6.3)
(iv) Work for self in one's own business (including farm) which is run for profit or fees and employs paid help.
(This corresponds to Own Business With paid Employees - Q6.3).
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(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 Q6.3).
(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 Q.6.3).
Do not include in "working" those persons who:
(i) Work 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) Work without pay assisting a relative or friend in his duties as an employee.
(iii) Work 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 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 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.
5.71 Economic Activity During Past Twelve Months
Questions 6.7 and 6.8 relate to the economic activity of individuals during the twelve month period preceding the census enumeration, i.e. April 1991 inclusive.
5.72 Question 6.7 Main Activity During Past 12 Months
The categories here are the same as in Q6.l and the definitions remain the same. The important difference is that here, the question relates to the 12 month period prior to census day instead of the week preceding.
You are required to record the main activity, i.e. the activity which took place in the country. If the person was abroad for parts of the period, it is the main activity undertaken during the time that he or she was in Jamaica. You must be aware of the fact that unlike Q6.1 work does not take precedence over the other activities. Instead it is the activity in which the person was involved MOST of the time.