Questionnaire Text

Questionnaire form view entire document:  text  image
For people 12 years old or older
[Applies to questions 7.1 and 7.2]

Condition of activity
7.1 Last week, did (Name):

Read the options until getting an affirmative answer.

[] 1 Work? Go to 7.3.
[] 2 Not work, but had a job? Go to 7.3.
[] 3 Look for work?
[] 4 (Name) a student?
[] 5 Does (Name) do chores in the household?
[] 6 Is (Name) retired or pensioned?
[] 7 Is (Name) permanently disabled from working? Go to 7.10
[] 8 Does (Name) not work?
[] 9 Does not know

Condition of activity ____
Questionnaire instructions view entire document:  text  image

VII Economic characteristics

In this section some of the economic characteristics of the population of work age (12 years old or older) are found out; which are related to socio-demographic and cultural information about the population, that permit us to know the socioeconomic situation of people and households.

[graphic of the question from the census form]

The information obtained in this section permits us to know, in a specific reference period (the week before the interview), how the work force [p. 119] in the country is formed, that is, who worked or looked for work; about the first jobs, what is done in the occupation, how many hours are worked, what are the incomes, the relation with the employer, etc.

Also in the population of 12 years old or older it is meant to distinguish who receives income by different sources at the job and the importance of these perceptions.


7.1 Condition of activity

With this question, people 12 completed years old or older, who have done any economic activity in the week before the interview are distinguished from those who did not because they did non-economic activities.

Economic activity is understood to be every action meant to produce goods (growing corn, raising animals, growing trees, extracting minerals, making furniture, clothes, machinery, etc) and doing any service for the market (repairing vehicles, teaching classes, selling and distributing different products, preparing and serving food, transporting people and cargo, generating and distributing water and electricity, offering medical services, etc.) Also, agricultural production and the raising of animals for the consumption of members of the household are included.

Non-economic activity is understood to be those done to satisfy personal and family needs, like studying, doing domestic chores in their own household, among others. Also activities of personal interest (free services or volunteers in the community, participation in clubs, workshops or recreation associations) are included here also not doing anything for many reasons.

When an informant declares that the person did economic activities and also non --economic, register the information referring to the economic activity that was done. For example, if it is a homemaker who, as well as doing chores in the household, works, register that the person worked. So also, write down option 3 in the case of a student who the week before the interview, aside from studying, actively looked for a job.

[p. 120]

Below the nine answer options in this question are described.

Worked?...1

In this option, people who worked or helped to work at least an hour a week the week before the date of the interview, in an institution, company, business or family piece of land, in the street, among others, are classified, it is not important if they received a payment or remuneration or not.

Also in this option students who did social service in the reference week are classified, receiving a remuneration or bonus or not for the activity they did.

Also, include people who helped in agricultural activities or in the raising of animals for their sale, work in the field or consumption by members of the household.

Also in this category people who in the reference week attended their business, even when no one has hired their service or bought their products.

Did not work, but had a job?...2

It is understood to be people who have a job but did not work in the reference week for any of the following reasons:

- Sickness or accident (temporary incapacity).
- On leave, on military leave, or vacation for a definite time (for example a person on maternity leave).
- Strike or work stoppage in the place of work.
- Breakdown of machinery, equipment, instruments or work vehicles.
- Lack of primary material for doing a job.
- Interruption of work because of bad weather, lack of rain, etc.
- Waiting for the beginning or season of harvest or other agricultural labor.

The characteristic of people classified here is that their absence did not break the tie with their employer (that is, they are not unemployed) and because of that, they have the security of returning to their place of work as soon as the days of leave, vacation, incapacity, restarting the agricultural cycle (seeding, growing and harvesting), of waiting to receive material or resources for production are concluded.

Also in this option those who in the week before the interview carried out a community or social activity and because of it did not work but did have a job, are included. For example: farmers who form part of any commission in their cooperative or community.

[p. 121]

When an informant gives an affirmative answer to option 1 (worked) or option 2 (did not work, but did have a job), write down the corresponding code and go to question 7.3 Occupation or office.

Looked for work?...3

It refers to people who during the week before the date of the interview, actively looked for work, like looking in the newspaper, visiting companies or employment agencies, asking friends about any jobs, doing procedures to begin or open a business, etc.

Also the following people are included in this option:

Those who have looked for work, but during the reference week did not do it for any reason: for example: got sick, cared for a family member, etc.

Those who are about to begin to work or have begun to work the week of the interview, although in the reference week had not looked for work.

Is a student?...4

It finds the people who are enrolled in or attend an educational institution with the goal of receiving education, either in the basic system of education (primary and secondary), middle (high school), or superior (professional) or in any level of technical or commercial education.

Does chores in the household?...5

It is understood to be people who are dedicated to the care and attention of their household. Also in this option family members who help in the labors of the household are classified.

Is retired or pensioned?...6

They are people who receive an income or pension (because of years of work, advanced age, or because they had a work accident) by part of any social security institution (like IMSS or IMSSSTE) or companies where they provided their services and currently do not work.

Is permanently disabled from working?...7

They are people who cannot do a job or economic activity because of a physical or mental problem or impediment.

[p. 122]

When an informant gives an affirmative answer to this option, write down the corresponding number and go to question 7.10 Other incomes.

Does not work?...8

In this option they are understood to be people who did not do any economic activity among which the following can be found:

People of an advance age who are not retired or pensioned.

People who live from rents or bank interests. If they mention to you that the person lives from the rent of houses, buildings, tenement houses, among others, but also does administration of its goods other its business (collects rent, writes bills, arranges permits, etc) classify in option 1 worked?

People who support in a voluntary form beneficiary activities (National volunteer) or affiliates of any political, social, religious or civil organization. If the activity is done as work and they receive a payment, they are classified in option 1 worked?

People who ask for charity and do not do anything (bums), did not look for work.

Classify in option 1, people who give as an answer any situation like, did domestic chores in their household, but also sold fruit; studied in the morning and helped a carpenter in the afternoon; is pensioned, but sells cosmetics. Give preference to the condition of economic activity, even when the person does few hours or did not receive income for the work done.

Does not know 9

If after reading all options, the person does not know the information, write down code 9 Does not know.

It is important to point out that when an informant selects any of the options 3, 4, 5, 6, 8 or 9, ask question 7.2 Verification of condition of activity