Review of 2021 Census Topics

(New Question)

What is the mode and security of the respondent’s current form of employment?

Public discourse around the precariousness of employment has increased in recent years with an increased focus on workforce reliance on casual flexible hours and contract based employment.

Though the ABS has long referred to ‘lack of leave entitlements’ as a proxy for identifying the casual workforce, this could potentially not accurately encompass all the permutations that are highlighted when the public discuss insecure employment.

For example, this definition omits persons employed on short/long fixed term contracts that have a finite duration – either through employer choice or due to the nature of work itself (i.e. project length based employment). However these contracts may have leave entitlements that omits them from the ABS definition relating to insecure work.

The new question would seek information regarding the basis the respondent was employed on; for example some options include permanent ongoing, permanent fixed term contract or a casual with variable hours (so as to limit respondent subjectivity as much as is possible).

In addition, the ability to cross-code this collected material against other labour market indicators such as ANZSCO, ANZSIC and the range of other demographic and household indicators available from the Census would be particularly prominent for policy makers and researchers across a broad spectrum of disciplines.

The information would also assist any general public debate on the issue, and particularly where concerning employment precariousness for new entrants into the labour market and/or those typically facing employment challenges such as youth, CALD groups, Aboriginal persons, recently arrived migrants, and others. It would also assist any job hunters by providing a better understanding of chosen fields while undertaking job hunting and career research.

- Key policy areas across the Commonwealth and State Governments require an evidence base that is reflective of the structural labour market at a detailed occupational level. These include but are not limited to skilled migration pathways and the national Vocational Education and Training (VET) sector where funding and reporting occurs both at a State and Federal level.
o Having detailed data sets around the modes of employment for workforces belonging to specific occupations and industries would assist in improvement of the labour market evidence basis and policy formulation better targeted to specific areas of the labour market.
o For example: If (hypothetically) Census results showed that the vast majority of Civil Engineers were employed by their employers on fixed term contracts, this could open up avenues of inquiry for skilled migration policies around duration of temporary visas and eligibly of occupations where there is not secure employment.
- Such labour market details will also be used to best inform policy design, update funding settings based on labour market requirements, and reporting to ensure the best outcomes for taxpayers.
- The Census provides the only opportunity for researchers, analysts, policy makers and others to acquire labour market data at a very detailed occupational level that can then be cross-referenced with a range of other geographic, demographic and economic indicators.
- Changes in how individuals work and engage with the wider labour market need to be reflected to ensure there is a stronger evidence base for any social / economic policy responses over the long term.

- Though we suspect age and gender has a significant influence on the likelihood of being securely or insecurely employed, there is no solid data to corroborate these claims for distinct demographic cohorts of Australia’s working population.
- Though an expansion of the ABS’ current monthly household survey could be entertained for answering this question, there would be no ability to reliably provide statistical evidence for the likely follow up queries relating to the population demographics most at risk of insecure employment and/or what occupations and industries these workers fall into.
- The ability to cross-reference the mode and security of employment with population demographics and education related data will be key for policy development over the long term – particularly in the VET sector where the emphasis on ‘just in time training’ is becoming increasingly prevalent.
o Reliable data on the increasing fluidity of an individual’s interaction with the labour market will be critical for any evidence base for future training markets.

- Similar questions around the mode and security of employment are already asked as part of the standard household survey which is increasingly moving towards an online response without the assistance of a trained interviewer.
- With some guidance and intelligent survey design, the ability for respondents to report on their own employment status is not viewed by the DTWD as being onerous for individuals.
- The improved use of web based technology to assist in the filling out forms (such as the inclusion of pop ups and tool tips to help define the modes of employment) provides a further opportunity collect more detailed labour market data Australia’s workforce.

- The proposed change does not request any topics that are not already asked of respondents through other semi-regular ABS surveys.
- The issue around insecure employment is increasing in current public debate. The inclusion a question relating to this could be viewed as topical but not controversial given the broad research and policy evidence appeal of having a rich set of Census-related cross-tabulated data on this topic.
- The requested change would only affect persons over the age of 15 who were employed during the reference week of the Census.

- Respondents would be asked to respond to the question relating to their primary employment with controlled answers that reflect the primary modes of employment in accordance with current ABS defined parameters.
- Where the historical reliance on hand written paper based forms would be cumbersome, the use web based interface allows for answers to be entered promptly and minimises survey fatigue for the respondent.
- All existing statistical coding for this proposed topic exists largely through International Labour Organisation (ILO) labour market statistical definitions already in use by the ABS.

- Given the increasing public attention towards the precariousness of employment across the Australian labour market, public policy responses through instruments such as taxation or through education/training systems and policy frameworks is highly likely.
- Having Census based data on this topic would provide a solid foundation for a policy evidence base across multiple government areas at the Commonwealth and State levels.
- Labour market requirements remain central to VET and Skilled Migration policies and settings, including both funding allocations and reporting. The ability to better reflect labour market structures, including the form of employment used on the occupational side would assist long term in better targeting the needs in these areas with appropriate training systems.

- Existing Census data on Employment Type (EMTP) is limited to breaking down respondents to employers or employees, with some inferences able to be made around self-employment/sole operator status.
- This proposal would expand upon this section of the Census to assess the precariousness of an individual’s connection to the labour market, particularly for those that are employees or self-employed relying on short term contract work.