- Codes
- Description
- Comparability
- Universe
- Availability
- Flags
- Questionnaire Text
- UnHarmonized Variables
Codes and Frequencies
An 'X' indicates the category is available for that sample
| Code | Label |
Feb
25 |
Jan
25 |
Dec
24 |
Nov
24 |
Oct
24 |
Sep
24 |
Aug
24 |
Jul
24 |
Jun
24 |
May
24 |
Apr
24 |
ASEC
24 |
Mar
24 |
Feb
24 |
Jan
24 |
Dec
23 |
Nov
23 |
Oct
23 |
Sep
23 |
Aug
23 |
Jul
23 |
Jun
23 |
May
23 |
Apr
23 |
ASEC
23 |
Mar
23 |
Feb
23 |
Jan
23 |
Dec
22 |
Nov
22 |
Oct
22 |
Sep
22 |
Aug
22 |
Jul
22 |
Jun
22 |
May
22 |
Apr
22 |
ASEC
22 |
Mar
22 |
Feb
22 |
Jan
22 |
Dec
21 |
Nov
21 |
Oct
21 |
Sep
21 |
Aug
21 |
Jul
21 |
Jun
21 |
May
21 |
Apr
21 |
Code | Label |
ASEC
21 |
Mar
21 |
Feb
21 |
Jan
21 |
ASEC
20 |
ASEC
19 |
ASEC
18 |
ASEC
17 |
ASEC
16 |
ASEC
15 |
ASEC
14 |
ASEC
13 |
ASEC
12 |
ASEC
11 |
ASEC
10 |
ASEC
09 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 00 | NIU | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 00 | NIU | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 01 | On temporary layoff (under 30 days) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 01 | On temporary layoff (under 30 days) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 02 | On indefinite layoff (30+ days) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 02 | On indefinite layoff (30+ days) | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 03 | Slack work/business conditions | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 03 | Slack work/business conditions | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 04 | Waiting for a new job to begin | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 04 | Waiting for a new job to begin | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 05 | Vacation/personal days | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 05 | Vacation/personal days | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 06 | Own illness/injury/medical problems | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 06 | Own illness/injury/medical problems | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 07 | Child care problems | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 07 | Child care problems | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 08 | Other family/personal obligation | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 08 | Other family/personal obligation | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 09 | Maternity/paternity leave | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 09 | Maternity/paternity leave | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 10 | Labor dispute | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 10 | Labor dispute | X | · | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 11 | Weather affected job | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 11 | Weather affected job | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 12 | School/training | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 12 | School/training | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 13 | Civic/military duty | · | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | X | · | X | · | X | X | X | · | X | X | X | X | X | · | X | · | · | X | X | X | X | X | 13 | Civic/military duty | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 14 | Does not work in the business | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | 14 | Does not work in the business | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · | · |
| 15 | Other | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | 15 | Other | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
Can't find the category you are looking for? Try the Detailed codes
Description
WHYABSNT reports the reason for the absence of jobholders who were not working during the preceding week.
Comparability
The basic survey question--"Why was [this person] absent from work last week?"--remained constant, but the number and detail of recognized responses grew. For ASEC samples from 1962-1967, only five reasons were recorded: illness; vacation; labor dispute; bad weather; and other. For 1968-1993, three more reasons were added: temporary layoff (under 30 days); indefinite layoff (more than 30 days or without a definite return date); and new job to begin within 30 days. The 1994 survey redesign collapsed the "layoff" categories added for 1968-1993, into "layoff" and "slack work/business conditions" (for 1994-1996), and then to just "slack work/business conditions" (for 1997 onward). The "waiting for new job to begin" category was also dropped beginning in 1997. Simultaneously, the survey redesign added several new responses: childcare problems; other family/personal obligation; maternity/paternity leave; school/training; civic/military duty; and does not work in business. For comparability across all years, users must collapse much of the detail (for responses other than illness, vacation, labor dispute, and bad weather) into the nonspecific "other" category.
Universe
- 1962-1967 (ASEC): Civilians age 14+ with a job but absent from work last week (pre-1968 samples do not include persons under age 14).
- 1968-1988: Civilians age 14+ with a job but absent from work last week.
- 1989+: Civilians age 15+ with a job but absent from work last week.
Availability
| Years | Jan | Feb | ASEC | Mar | Apr | May | Jun | Jul | Aug | Sep | Oct | Nov | Dec |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1962 – 1975 | - | - | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
| 1976 – 2024 | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X | X |
| 2025 | X | X | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - | - |
Flags
QWHYABSNUnharmonized Variables
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