Literal question
For those 10 years of age or older
[Applies to section D]
17. Occupational category
Only for those who declared an occupation in question 15.
Which category or position did you hold in the principal occupation indicated (question number 15)?
[] 1 Owner or employer
[] 2 Own-account
[] 3 Salaried or waged employee
[] 4 Unpaid family worker
[] 9 Unknown
Interviewer instructions
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 #17: Employment status
This question is only presented to those who declared an occupation in question 15.
a. How to ask the question:
What category or position did the person hold in the principal occupation indicated?
(question 15)
The different alternatives are then carefully read, one by one, until the informant classifies the person correctly.
The definition of each alternative should be taken into account.
Employer: Those who have (if worked) or had (if employed previously but looking for work) one or more salaried workers to carry out an economic activity; that is, workers who receive remuneration or pay in money or in kind. Therefore, those persons who do not have employees are not employers.
Own-account: Those who work independently, do not have remunerated employees, and who are not employees of anyone else. The own-account worker can count on the help of family workers and can work alone or association with others.
Employee with salary or wage: Those who work for a public or private employer and who receive, in exchange, a wage, salary, commission, or pay in kind.
Unpaid family worker: Those who carry out an unpaid occupation in an establishment run by a relative who lives in the same household. Unpaid family workers work at least one-third of the time.
b. How to record the information:
An "X" is used to mark one of the alternatives provided on the census form.
[p. 64]
The "Unknown ___ 9" box is marked only when the informant does not know the employment status of the enumerated household member.
c. Examples:
[These instructions refer to a graph of question 17 on the census form]
