[Questions 4.19 and 4.20 are for persons age 60 and older. If under 60 years old, go to Section 5]
4.19 Do you/does [the respondent] currently receive any social welfare benefits or pension?
[] 1 Yes
[] 2 No (end interview)
[] 9 Not stated
Section 4: Economic activity
[Persons age 14 and older]
5.73 General
Section 4 is comprised of Questions 4.1 through 4.20, and should be asked to persons age 14 and older. The main purpose of this section is to determine which individuals were in the working force of the country at some point in time.
This section is included in the sample coverage because it requires much more probing than should be undertaken for the short form. Economic activity in Jamaica has undergone some amount of transformation within the past two or three decades, whereby there has been a significant development of what has come to be regarded as the "Informal sector". People have in many instances moved away from the traditional jobs in the public and private sectors and have ventured into their own small scale businesses, some of which are being operated within homes.
You must pay close attention to the skip instructions at all times to ensure that you ask relevant questions. You will also need to pay close attention to the different reference periods stated. Questions 4.1 through 4.4 seek to identify the persons who worked. As we know that work means different things to different people, we try in these questions to establish clearly whether an individual worked or not within a particular week. These questions relate to the week preceding the Census date, as do Questions 4.5 through 4.13. Question 4.14 asks for a specific date. Questions 4.15 and 4.16 relate to the past twelve months, while questions 4.17 and 4.18 refer to the past 5 years. Questions 4.19 and 4.20 are relevant to persons of pensionable age and seek to determine the type of social welfare benefits or pension being received. Even if the person has never worked, he/she can be in receipt of social welfare benefits (as the beneficiary of a spouse).
It is important that the concept of work be fully understood.
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 employment of the government, a business organization, some private or public organization, or an individual. These correspond to the categories "Paid employee of government", "Private enterprise", or "Private home" in question Q4.6).
(ii) Work as trainee (such as nurses in training) or apprentice (persons at trade). This could also correspond to the same categories at is point (i).
(iii) Work for oneself in one's own business (including farm), which is run for profit or fees but does not employ paid help. This corresponds to "Self-employed without Employees" in question Q4.6. For example: odd job, hustling, buying and selling etc.
(iv) Work for oneself in one's own business (including farm), which is run for profit or fees and employs paid help. This corresponds to "Self-employed with employees" in question Q4.6.
(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 running of business (see "Unpaid employee in agriculture" or any type of business in question Q4.6).
(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 employee in agriculture" or any type of business in question Q4.6).
Do not include as "working" those persons who:
(i) Work without money or pay for a relative or other person on tasks that 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 Society for Blind, Operation Workshop.
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. Informal commercial importers who travel to the Cayman Islands buying and selling are to be included. Do not include the work done by persons going as contract workers to North America 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.
5.90 Questions 4.19 - 4.20 Social Welfare Benefits
[Persons age 60 and older]
Ask the questions and score the relevant answers. Include any pensions received from abroad. You are not trying to find out how much money is being received. There might be some reluctance to answer, from especially persons who are in receipt of pension from a foreign country. You must reassure the respondents that we are only interested in knowing how many of our senior citizens are getting this kind of support.