050000 WORK AND WORK-RELATED ACTIVITIES

Category Description

2003+: This category captures time spent working, doing activities as part of one's job, engaging in income-generating activities (not as part of one's job), and looking for jobs and interviewing. The category is sub-divided to reflect these distinctions. "Working" includes hours spent doing the specific tasks required of one's main or other job, regardless of location. Work done by self-employed as well as wage and salary workers is coded here. "Work-related activities" include activities that are not obviously work but are done as part of one's job, such as having a business lunch or playing golf with clients. Activities are identified as done as part of the job by the respondent during the interview. "Other income-generating activities" are activities often done "on the side" or under informal arrangement that are not part of the respondent's regular job. Such activities might include selling homemade crafts, babysitting, and maintaining a rental property (or having a yard sale in 2003). Respondents identify these as activities they "are paid for or will be paid for." "Job search and interviewing" are activities undertaken to change jobs or find a job. These activities are identified by the verbatim description in the coding instrument.

Activity Coding Rules

General rule: For activities that are not pre-coded as work, use the information in the WORK column for assistance with coding. For most activities, when the respondent indicates that an activity was either done as part of one's job or for one's business, the activity should be coded as Work. Exceptions are socializing, relaxing, and leisure activities, eating and drinking activities, and, and recreational activities done as part of one's job, which should be coded as work-related activities, and sleeping, grooming, and smoking, which should be coded as what they are (never work). When the respondent indicates that an activity was done for pay, the activity should be coded under Work and Work-Related Activities/Other Income-Generating Activities/relevant activity (050300).

Hobbies

2003+: If respondent is paid or expects to be paid for hobbies, code as Work and Work-Related Activities/Other Income-Generating Activities (050300). If unpaid, code as Socializing, Relaxing, and Leisure/Relaxing and Leisure/relevant hobby (120300).

Travel as part of job

2003+: For taxi drivers, bus drivers, chauffeurs, traveling sales workers, and other workers for whom travel is an essential part of their job, code travel time as work, unless travel reason is clearly not work.

Working in uncommon occupations

2003+: Where individuals' occupations could be coded as others' non-work activities, such as golf pros playing golf for work and clergy being at church for work, code their activities as work.

Looking for a job

2003+: Code as Work and Work-Related Activities/Job Search and Interviewing/relevant activity (050400), regardless of mode (telephone, internet, newspaper) of search.

Reading for work

2003+: Code as Work and Work-Related Activities/Working/Work, main job or Work, other job(s) (050101 or 050102).

Using the computer

2003+: Code the activity the respondent did as the primary activity. For example, if the respondent reports using the computer to search for work, code as Job Search and Interviewing (050400).

Eating and drinking (or taking a lunch break)

2005+: When the WORK column = "M or O" and the WHO column = "59, 60, 61, 62, and others," code as Work and Work-Related Activities/Work-Related Activities/ Eating and drinking as part of job (050202). When the WORK column = "M or O" and the WHO column = "0," code as Work and Work-Related Activities/Working/Work, main job (050101 or Work and Work-Related Activities/Working/Work, other jobs(s) (050102). When the WORK column = "Blank" and the WHO column = "Any," code as Eating and Drinking/Eating and Drinking/Eating and drinking (110101). (Updated: July 2013)

Security procedures

2003+: If respondent reports undergoing security procedures (such as "passing through the metal detector," "being searched at security checkpoint," "opening bags for security search") related to work, as part of their job, or related to job search and interviewing, code under Security procedures related to work (050103)/as part of job (050204)/related to job search or interviewing (050405), as appropriate.

"Work," but no M, O, or P

2008+: If the verbatim mentions doing the activity for "work" or "business" but the summary questions do not include an M, O, or P, then assign Work and Work-Related Activities/Working/Work, main job (050101). Exception: If the activity involves socializing, relaxing, and leisure activities, eating and drinking activities, or sports, exercise, and recreational activities done as part of one's job, then they should be coded as work-related activities. If the activity involves sleeping, grooming, and smoking, then they should be coded as what they are (never work). (Added: March 2007)

  • 050100 WORKING

    • 050101 WORK, MAIN JOB

      Category activity examples

      • At work (main job)
      • Attending class (main job)
      • Attending conferences (main job)
      • Attending convention (main job)
      • Attending sales training (main job)
      • Attending typing training (main job)
      • Calling leads for stories/information (main job)
      • Checking e-mail (main job)
      • Checking voicemail messages (main job)
      • Computer use (main job)
      • Designing/updating a website (main job)
      • Doing research/homework (main job)
      • Enrollment in training/classes (main job)
      • Grading papers (main job)
      • Hearing confession (main job) (2007+)
      • Leading a blessing (main job) (2007+)
      • Leading religious youth group (main job) (2007+)
      • Making reservation on the internet (main job)
      • Marking assignments (main job)
      • On-the-job training (main job)
      • Organizing materials (main job)
      • Phone calls to/from clients (main job)
      • Phone calls to/from coworkers (main job)
      • Phone calls to/from customers (main job)
      • Phone calls to/from supervisors (main job)
      • Phone/video conferences to/from co-workers (main job) (2020+)
      • Phone/video conferences to/from supervisor (main job) (2020+)
      • Preparing lesson plans (main job)
      • Preparing materials (main job)
      • Putting in overtime at work (main job)
      • Reading a book/other material (main job)
      • Reading and writing (main job)
      • Reading the Bible/Torah/scriptures (main job) (2007+)
      • Reading/sending e-mail (main job)
      • Registering for class (main job)
      • Registering for training (main job)
      • Reviewing notes, briefs, or papers (main job)
      • Surfing the internet (main job)
      • Talking to instructor (class for main job)
      • Talking to other conference attendees (main job)
      • Teaching bat/bar mitzvah class (main job) (2007+)
      • Teaching confirmation class (main job) (2007+)
      • Teaching religious class (main job) (2007+)
      • Teaching/leading Bible study (main job) (2007+)
      • Telephone calls (main job)
      • Teleworking (main job) (2020+)
      • Working extra hours (main job)
      • Writing letters (main job)
      • Writing memos/papers (main job)

    • 050102 WORK, OTHER JOB(S)

      Category activity examples

      • At work (other job)
      • Attending class (other job)
      • Attending conferences (other job)
      • Attending convention (other job)
      • Attending sales training (other job)
      • Attending typing training (other job)
      • Calling leads for stories/information (other job)
      • Checking e-mail (other job)
      • Checking voicemail messages (other job)
      • Computer use (other job)
      • Designing/updating a website (other job)
      • Doing research/homework (other job)
      • Enrollment in training/classes (other job)
      • Extra hours at other job
      • Grading papers (other job)
      • Hearing confession (other job) (2007+)
      • Leading a blessing (other job) (2007+)
      • Leading religious youth group (other job) (2007+)
      • Making reservation on the internet (other job)
      • Marking assignments (other job)
      • Moonlighting
      • On-the-job training (other job)
      • Organizing materials (other job)
      • Phone calls to/from clients (other job)
      • Phone calls to/from coworkers (other job)
      • Phone calls to/from customers (other job)
      • Phone calls to/from supervisors (other job)
      • Phone/video conferences to/from co-workers (other job) (2020+)
      • Phone/video conferences to/from supervisor (other job) (2020+)
      • Preparing lesson plans (other job)
      • Preparing materials (other job)
      • Reading a book/other material (other job)
      • Reading and writing (other job)
      • Reading the Bible/Torah/scriptures (other job) (2007+)
      • Reading/sending e-mail (other job)
      • Registering for class (other job)
      • Registering for training (other job)
      • Reviewing notes, briefs, or papers (other job)
      • Surfing the internet (other job)
      • Talking to instructor (class for other job)
      • Talking to other conference attendees (other job)
      • Teaching bat/bar mitzvah class (other job) (2007+)
      • Teaching confirmation class (other job) (2007+)
      • Teaching religious class (other job) (2007+)
      • Teaching/leading Bible study (other job) (2007+)
      • Telephone calls (other job)
      • Teleworking (other job) (2020+)
      • Writing letters (other job)
      • Writing memos/papers (other job)

    • 050103 SECURITY PROCEDURES RELATED TO WORK

      Category activity examples

      • Being searched at security checkpoint (work)
      • Opening bags for security search (work)
      • Passing through metal detector (work)

    • 050104 WAITING ASSOCIATED WITH WORKING (2004+)

    • 050199 WORKING, N.E.C.

      Category activity examples

      • Getting temperature check at workplace (2020+)

  • 050200 WORK-RELATED ACTIVITIES

  • 050300 OTHER INCOME-GENERATING ACTIVITIES

  • 050400 JOB SEARCH AND INTERVIEWING

    • 050401 JOB SEARCH ACTIVITIES

      Category activity examples

      • Asking about job openings
      • Asking former employers to provide references
      • Auditioning for acting role (non-volunteer)
      • Auditioning for band/symphony (non-volunteer)
      • Checking vacancies
      • Contacting employer
      • Filling out job application
      • Making phone calls to prospective employer
      • Meeting with headhunter/temporary agency
      • Picking up job application
      • Placing/answering ads
      • Reading ads in paper/on internet
      • Researching an employer
      • Researching details about a job
      • Sending out resumes
      • Sending resumes to employers
      • Submitting applications
      • Writing/updating resume

    • 050403 JOB INTERVIEWING

      Category activity examples

      • Interviewing by phone or in person
      • Preparing for interview
      • Scheduling/canceling interview (for self)

    • 050404 WAITING ASSOCIATED WITH JOB SEARCH OR INTERVIEW

      Category activity examples

      • Waiting to go in for an interview

    • 050405 SECURITY PROCEDURES RELATED TO JOB SEARCH OR INTERVIEWING

      Category activity examples

      • Being searched at security checkpoint (job search)
      • Opening bags for security search (job search)
      • Passing through metal detector (job search)

    • 050499 JOB SEARCH AND INTERVIEWING, N.E.C.

  • 059900 WORK AND WORK-RELATED ACTIVITIES, N.E.C.