Questionnaire Text

Questionnaire form view entire document:  text  image

For those 10 years of age or older
[Applies to section D]


14. Type of economic activity

What did you do during the greater part of the week of April 12th to the 17th?

Ask each question indicated until receiving positive responses.

[] 1 Worked
[] 2 Didn't work, but had a job
[] 3 Had worked before and looked for a job
[] 4 Looked for a job for the first time
[] 5 Lived off of investments or retirement
[] 6 Studied
[] 7 Took care of your own home
[] 8 Other
[] 9 Unknown

Questionnaire instructions view entire document:  text  image

Economic characteristics
The questions included in this section (type of activity, principal occupation, industry, and employment status) are designed to investigate the population that participates in the production of goods and economic services, the occupational structure, the economic sector where the occupations are carried out, employment status, and the related demographic and social characteristics. The structure of the population that does not participate in the production of goods and economic services and demographic and social characteristics of this population are also investigated.

[p. 57]

Because of these objectives, questions 14, 15, 16, and 17 are only presented to those persons age 10 or older.


Question #14: Type of activity
This question is designed to determine both the "economically active population" and the "economically inactive population". They also have as a goal the determination of the groups that constitute the above mentioned types of population [active vs. inactive].

a. How to ask the question:
The following questions are presented:

What did the person do for most of the week of April 12-17?

The different alternatives are immediately read so that the informant can exactly determine which of the answers translates to the situation of the [enumerated] person during the week of April 12-17.

The different alternatives are read in the same order in which they appear on the census form.

The following definitions will help the enumerator in carrying out the work in a satisfactory manner:

Did the person work?

a) If the person carried out a remunerated (in money or in kind) job during all or part of the week of April 12-17.
b) If the person has a business or if he/she works on own-account.
c) If the person regularly works in a business or company of a family member, even if not paid a wage or salary (family worker).

Did not work, but employed?

If the person did not work during the week of April 12-17 but has a business or employment and was temporarily absent because of vacation, inclement weather, machinery breakdown, strike, etc.


[p. 58]

Looking for work, having worked previously?

If the person was not employed during the week of April 12-17 but was previously employed and is waiting to be recalled [to the previous employment] or is looking for a new employment.


Looking for work for the first time?

If the person had never been employed but actively sought employment during the week of April 12-17.


Lived from investments or retirement?

Included in this group are those who have stopped working and are receiving income exclusively from a retirement or pension. Also included in this group are those who do not work but receive income from investments in a business or company. Those who receive a nutritional pension or alimony are not included in this group.


Did the person study?

If the person regularly attends school, high school, or the university and did not carry out a paid job during the reference week.


Cared for the home? [domestic duties]

If the person did not carry out any remunerated activity during the week of April 12-17 and was dedicated exclusively to domestic duties.


Other?

If the person cannot be classified into the previous categories.


b. How to record the information:
The problem lies in the adequate selection of the type of activity for each person age 10 or older. The following recommendations will allow the work to proceed efficiently:

1) An answer should not be recorded unless it is certain that the informant has understood the question correctly and the answer is coherent with the pertinent definitions.

2) A person cannot be classified into more than one category, even if the informant gives double information (worked and studied; worked and received retirement income;


[p. 59]

cared for the home and worked; etc.). The criterion used in selecting the type of activity is to give the first preference to the economic activity. When selecting between two categories of the economically inactive population, the categories of studying and domestic duties are given preference, in that order.


An "X" is marked in the box corresponding to the answer selected. The "Unknown" box is designated for those cases in which the informant cannot respond to the question because the answer is not known.

c. Examples:


[These instructions refer to a graph of question 14 on the census form]