Codes

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

Description

UNKREASN is one of a series of variables giving reasons why persons who wanted jobs and were not in the labor force had not been looking for work in the past 4 weeks. If respondents met specific criteria (were neither working, nor looking for work, nor temporarily absent from a job during the previous week and were in the fourth or eighth month of the sample), the interviewer asked, "Does [this person] want a regular job now, either full- or part-time?" Those who answered "yes" or "maybe/it depends" were further asked the open-ended question, "What are the reasons [this person] is not looking for work?" UNKREASN, indicating respondents did not know why an individual was not looking for work, despite the desire for a job, summarizes one such rationale. This "don't know" response might have been particularly common when the respondent was reporting on the thinking and behavior of some other member of the household.

Specific recognized reasons for not actively seeking work, despite the desire for a job, were: believes no work available in line of work or area (BLVENOWK); couldn't find any work (CANTFIND); lacks necessary schooling, training, skills, or experience (LACKSCHL); employers think too young or too old (WRONGAGE); some other personal handicap in finding a job (HANDICAP); can't arrange childcare (KIDDUTY); family responsibilities (FAMDUTY); being in school or other training (SCHLDUTY); ill health or physical disability (ILHEALTH); and some other reason (OTHEREAS). Respondents could report multiple reasons for looking for work, so these aforementioned responses are not mutually exclusive. However, if any of these other answers were given, the interviewer did not mark "don't know" on the form.

Comparability

Apart from universe differences in the age of respondents, this variable is completely comparable across years. In the original CPS public use files, persons who were not asked why they weren't looking for work and those who were asked but did not say "don't know" were combined. In IPUMS-CPS, those not asked the general question, "What are the reasons [this person] has not been looking for work?" are coded as "not in universe" (code 0). Those who were asked the general question but who did not say "don't know" were coded as "no" (code 2).

Universe

Flags

Unharmonized Variables

• UH_NILF11_A1