Codes

This variable is not available for any of the currently selected samples.

Description

HANDICAP (other personal handicap) reports one of the reasons given to explain a seeming anomaly: why were persons who said they wanted a job not actively looking for work? Adult civilians who were not in the labor force during the previous week (neither working nor temporarily absent from a job nor actively looking for work) were asked whether they currently wanted a job (see WANTJOB), and, if they said "Yes" or "Maybe," were asked the open-ended question, "What is the reason [this person] is not looking for work?" The HANDICAP variable records one possible answer to this question.

"Other personal handicap" is a residual category that can only be understood relative to the more specific reasons that respondents gave for not seeking work, despite their professed desire for a job. These additional responses recognized by the survey are as follows: believes no work available (BLVENOWK); could not find work (CANTFIND); lack schooling (LACKSCHL); poor health or disability (ILHEALTH); employers think too young or old (WRONGAGE); family responsibilities (FAMDUTY); lack of childcare (KIDDUTY), and school or training responsibilities (SCHLDUTY. There was also another residual category for "other reasons" (see OTHEREAS); how "other reasons" (which were to be recorded by interviewers in notes during the interview) differed from "other personal handicap" is not clear from the coded data. Finally, some individuals were unable to specify a reason for why a person who wanted a job was not seeking work; such cases were coded as "unknown reason" (UNKREASN). Because interviewers recorded all answers, a "yes" response (code 1) in HANDICAP does not preclude "yes" responses for one or more of the other rationales listed above.

Comparability

Apart from universe changes, this variable is comparable over time.

In the original public use data files for the ASEC CPS, the "not in universe" and "no" (response not given) categories were combined. In IPUMS-CPS, those who were not asked the question, "What is the reason [this person] is not looking for work?" are coded as being "not in universe" (code 0). Those who were asked this question but did not give a response corresponding to "other personal handicap" are coded "no" (code 2).

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_NILF05_A1