Labour Force Survey 1981, 2.quarter

Statistics Norway has carried out official quarterly Labor Force Surveys (AKU) from 1. quarter 1972. The purpose is to provide the labor authorities and others with the occupational structure of population and development over time. The surveys will provide the basis and statistical material for occupational forecasting and labor market research. In the AKU respondents are first interviewed in two consecutive quarters, then there is a delay of two quarters, and then the respondent are interviewed again for two consecutive quarters. The sample was approximately 10- 11,000 respondents each quarter until 1988. Labour Force Survey 1975 is the fourth complete annual AKU. Originally it was intended that the AKU would be an analytical supplement to the monthly employment statistics which were based on the insurance fund membership. The health insurance-based statistics, however fell away when health insurance was included in the National Insurance Scheme from 1 January 1971. AKU has gradually evolved to become the main source of knowledge about the labor market of the state.

In 1975 the SSB on the sampling plan for the surveys, see Art.37: About the use of samples at the office for interview surveys, Statistics Norway (Steinar Tamsfoss), and SES 33: Sampling Methods Applied by Statistics Norways sample surveys (Ib Thomsen). Meanwhile, the method of estimation for inflating the national figures changed, so that there are adequate numbers of regions from 1975. The reorganization in 1975 meant that the interview was carried out differently in groups than before and after. This meant, among other things, a break in the panel structure of the AKU.

The Labour Force Survey 1976 adopted a slightly modified questionnaire and came back to the original 6-quarters rotation schedule. The new questionnaire meant that people in the group, and family workers temporarily absent from work was identified in a better way. This resulted in approximately 30 to 35,000 more were counted as employed. The group of job seekers without earned income was also expanded to include involuntarily laid off. The questions about the under- and overemployment in the original form was deleted.

From 1 quarter of 1987, the estimation method (inflating the national numbers) changed slightly, and also there was a minor adjustment of the definition of employed. To achieve comparability backwards in time, it was therefore developed new versions of the AKU files back to 1980. From 1980, there are therefore two versions of the files, respectively, with "old" and "new" estimation method. Old means that data are comparable with the originally published figures for the period 1972-1987, new means that the data for the period 1980-1987 using this estimation factor (weight) is comparable with figures published after 1987.

This file is based on the new estimation method.