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/ EUROPEAN COMMISSIONEUROSTAT
Directorate F: Social Statistics and Information Society
Unit F-2: Labour market statistics /
Doc. Eurostat/F2/EMPL/XX-A
Tests of the
“European Socio-economic Classification”
Document 3 – National classifications, ESeC developments since 2000
Annex 3b
National Socio-economic Classifications (SECs)
PART I: Socio-economic Classifications (SECs)
used in European Union Member States (EU15)
PART II: Socio-economic Classifications (SECs)
used in EEA Countries
PART I: Socio-economic Classifications (SECs)
used in European Union Member States (EU15)
Synthesis of the answers to the questionnaire
Table 1.Use in official statistics, names and objectives of CSEs
Member States / 1. SECs in use in official statistics / 2. Names of the SECs / 3. ObjectivesDK
/ - One official SEC / - SOCIO / - Classify each individual according to socio-economic level in the same way in all fields of the Danish social statisticD / - Strictly speaking, there is no official SEC, nor similar multiple combination classification.
- However some classifications were used in the census and micro-census which allow some socio-economic analyses:
The census of population and occupations
The last time when an autonomous scheme of socio-economic categories was developed was for the census of 1970. Unfortunately, the presentation of the results, in particular for international purposes, was done with a high level of aggregation.
The census of 1987 was already under the strain for reducing the length of the questionnaire, which impeded analyses in this field. Therefore, the socio-economic analyses had to be limited to the characteristics "Stellung im Beruf" (status in occupation) and "Ausbildungsabschluss" (highest education level attained).
In the next census, no SEC will be used.
The micro-census
Generally, sample surveys such as micro-census are considered, because of the enlarged possibilities of detailed questions, as propitious to the use of a socio-economic classification scheme. In the presentation of the results of the micro-census, the variables required for the construction of a SEC appear separately or in partial combination, without none of these deserving the name of socio-economic classification.
There is no plans for developing a SEC for the micro-census in the future for the following reasons:
D
(continua-tion) / - some of the variables required for the definition of a SEC, as the "Stellung im Betrieb" (status in employment) are collected with a periodicity of several years;
- for other characteristics, it is allowed not to answer;
- and, among other examples, the not negligible group of "Freie Berufe" (liberal professions) is not explicitly identified.
We shall describe two of them in section4 and 5. / 1. Status in occupation
("Stellung im Beruf")
2. Status in employment
("S")
E / - One official SEC / - Classification of Socio-economic Condition
(" / - Classify the population in homogeneous groups according to social, economic and cultural characteristics.
F / - One official SEC / - Classification of Occupations and Socio-occupational Categories / - Bring together persons in a way relevant to analyse a great number of sociological (electoral behaviour, cultural and religious practices, relationship network, etc.) or socio-economic phenomena (adequacy between education and occupation, choice of a type of education, etc.) or to study the way the labour market is functioning (wages, duration of work, working conditions, etc.).
- A single classification for all these objectives allows to confront a great number of results concerning related but different domains and increase the dialogue between statisticians, decision makers, professionals, sociologists and specialists hailing from various backgrounds.
IRL / - Two official SEC / 1. Socio-Economic Group (SEG) / - Bring together persons with similar social and economic statuses on the basis of skill or educational attainment acquired.
2. Social Class (SC) / - Bring together people with similar levels of occupational skills. In determining social class no account is taken of the differences between individuals on the basis of other characteristics such as education.
I / - No official SEC
L / - No official SEC
- Ad hoc classification are used for specific survey, for instance the household budget survey
NL / - One official SEC / - Classification of Social Groups 1997 / - To classify persons according to their position on the labour market. This position is one of the most important determinants of living conditions and life-style.
A / - Two official SEC / 1. Status (of supporter) in occupation
"Stellung (des Erhalters) im Beruf" / - Bring together people with similar present (former) legal social insurance status (i.e. own-account, family workers, employees, white-collar, blue-collar workers, civil servants).
- Introduce a hierarchical order according to the present (former) position in the employment
2. Livelihood or socio-economic unit / 2 Livelihood or socio-economic unit of the man or parent
"Lebensunterhalt bzw. Sozioökonmische Einheit des Mannes bzw. Elternteiles" / - Bring together people with similar present (former) legal social insurance status (i.e. own-account, family workers, employees, white-collar, blue-collar workers, civil servants).
- Introduce a hierarchical order according to the present (former) position in the employment.
- Enrich the hierarchical order by the highest education attained.
FIN / - Basically one official SEC with two slightly different presentations / 1. Classification of Socio-economic Group
2. Classification of Socio-economic Status / - Both versions divide population and households into homogeneous groups according to their social and economic background.
S / - one official SEC / - Swedish Socio-economic Classification (SSEC) / - Serve as an instrument for statistical description of the social development concerning inequality, social differentiation, distribution of life-chances.
UK / - The UK currently uses two official classifications (Social Class based on Occupation and Socio-economic Group). / 1. Social Class based on Occupation (SC) / - The occupation groups included in each category have been selected in such a way as to bring together, as far as possible, people with similar levels of occupational skill.
2. Socio-economic Group (SEG) / - The classification aims to bring together people with jobs of similar social and economic status.
- A new classification (the National Statistics Socio-economic Classification) has recently been accepted for use with government statistics and will replace the two current classifications from 2001 / 3. National Statistics Socio-economic Classification (NS-SEC) / - The classification aims to provide a socio-economic classification based on employment relations and conditions.
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Table 2.Structure and description of SECs
Member State / 4. Structure / 5. DescriptionDK / - Self-employed and employees are ranked independently of one another, the first according to the size of the firm, the second according to the level of qualification required in their job.
- Hence, for self-employed and employees considered independently, the classification is hierarchically ordered, one-dimensional continuous occupational scale.
- The whole population is classified in one dimension: employed, unemployed, not economically active. / 1. Employed
1.1. Employers and self-employed
1.1.1. Employers with 50 or more employees
1.1.2. Employers with 10-49 employees
1.1.3. Employers with 1-9 employees
1.1.4. Self-employed (without employees)
1.2. Assisting spouses
1.3. Employees
1.3.1. Top managers
1.3.2. Salaried employees, in upper levels
1.3.3. Salaried employees, in intermediate levels
1.3.4. Salaried employees, in basic levels
1.3.5. Other employees
2. Unemployed
3. Not economically active
3.1. Students
3.2. Pensioners, etc.
3.2.1. Early pensioners
3.2.2. Age pensioners
3.2.3. Early retirement benefit recipients, etc.
3.3. Others not economically active
4. Children
Reference:
- "Danmarks Statistiks Sociookonomiske Klassification (SOCIO)"
D / 1. Status in occupation
- Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification / 1. Self-employed
"Selbständige"
2. Family workers
"Mithelfende Familienangehörige"
3. Civil servants, judges, soldiers
"Beamte, Richter, Soldaten"
4. Other white collar workers
"Angestellte"
4.1. Simple white collar workers
"Einfach Angestellte"
4.2. Middle white collar workers
"Mittlere Angestellte"
4.3. Higher white collar workers
"Höhere Angestellte"
4.4. Leading white collar workers
"Leitende Angestellte"
5. Blue collar workers
"Arbeiter"
Table 2. Structure and description of SECs (continuation)
D
(continua-tion) / 2. Status in employment
- Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification / 1. Self-employed
"Selbständige"
2. Family workers
"Mithelfende Familienangehörige"
3. Employees
3.1 Clerks, unskilled and semi-skilled blue-collar workers
"Burokraft, un- und angelernter Arbeiter"
3.2 Salesmen, skilled blue-collar worker
"Verkaufer, Facharbeiter"
3.3 Highly skilled workers, foremen
"Sachbearbeiter, Vorarbeiter"
3.4 Technicians and highly qualified professionals, masters
"Herausgehobene qualifierzierte Fachcraft, Meister"
3.5 Head clerk, advisor, senior executive
"Sachgebietleiter, Referent, Handlungsbevollmächtiger"
3.6 Departmental head, authorised representative
"Abteilungleiter, Prokurist"
3.7 Director, Civil Service manager, enterprise manager
"Direktor, Amtsleiter, Betriebsleiter"
E / - One-dimensional continuous occupational scale / 1. Employers in the agricultural sector
2. Own account workers in the agricultural sector
3. Members of agricultural co operatives
4. Agricultural managers
5. Other agricultural workers
6. Professionals, technicians and related workers who are not employees
7. Non-agricultural employers
8. Own account workers in the non-agricultural sectors
9. Members of non-agricultural co-operatives
10. Non-agricultural managers, high civil servants in public administration (central, regional or local
11. Professionals, technicians and related workers who are employees
12. Professionals in public administration characteristic occupations
13. Other administrative and trade workers
14. Other service workers
15. Foremen and supervisors in non-agricultural establishments
16. Skilled and specialised manual workers in non-agricultural establishments
17. Unskilled manual workers in non-agricultural establishments
18. Professional armed forces
19. Not stated by socio-economic condition
Reference:
- "La condicion socioeconomica en la Encuesta de Poblacion Activa"
F / - Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification
- The classification does not have a modular structure / I. Most aggregated version (8 items)
1. Farmers
2. Craftsmen, tradesmen and general managers
3. Seniors civil servants, senior managerial staff and higher intellectual professions
4. Middle-level professions
5. Clerical and service staff
6. Manual workers
7. Retired persons
8. Other not economically active persons
IIStandard version (24 items)
10.Farmers
21.Craftsmen
23.Managers of business with 10 or more employees
31.Liberal professions
32.Senior civil servants, higher intellectual and artistic professions
36.Senior administrative, managerial and technical staff of businesses
41.Middle-level professions in education, health, civil service and related
46. Middle-level administrative, commercial and managerial staff of businesses
47.Technicians
48.Production supervisors and general foremen
51.Clerical level civil servants, police and armed forces personnel
54Businesses clerical workers
55. Sales staff
56.Domestic and other personal service workers
61.Skilled workers
66.Unskilled workers
69.Agricultural workers
Retired persons
71.Retired farmers72.Retired craftsmen, tradesmen and general managers
73.Retired senior managerial staff and middle-level professions members
76.Retired clerical, service and manual workers
81.Unemployed who have never worked
82.Other persons not gainfully employed (excluding retired persons)
III.Detailed version (42 items)
11.Farmers on small farms
12.Farmers on medium-sized farms
13.Farmers on large farms
21.Craftsmen
22.Tradesmen and related workers
23.Managers of business with 10 or more employees
31.Liberal professions
33.Senior civil servants
34.Secondary school and higher education teachers, higher intellectual and scientific professions
35.Information professionals, creative and performing artists
37.Senior administrative, commercial and managerial staff of businesses
38.Engineers and senior technical staff of businesses
42.Primary school teachers and related workers
43.Middle-level health and social welfare workers
44.Ministers of religion and members of religious orders
45.Middle-level civil servants
46. Middle-level administrative, commercial and managerial staff of businesses
47.Technicians
48.Production supervisors and general foremen
Table 2. Structure and description of SECs (continuation)
F
(continua-tion) / 52.Clerical-level civil servants and related
53.Police and armed forces
54Businesses clerical workers
55. Sales staff
56.Domestic and other personal service workers
62.Skilled industrial workers
63.Craft work skilled employees
64. Drivers
65. Skilled freight handlers, warehousemen and transport equipment operators
67.Unskilled industrial workers
68.Craft work unskilled employees
69.Agricultural workers
Retired persons
71.Retired farmers72.Retired craftsmen, tradesmen and general managers
74.Retired senior managerial staff
75.Retired middle-level professions members
77.Retired clerical and service staff
78.Retired manual workers
81.Unemployed who have never worked
Not economically active persons
83.National servicemen84.Pupils and students
85.Other not economically active persons aged under 60
86.Other not economically active persons aged 60 and over
IRL
1. Socio-Economic Group (SEG)
- Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification / A. Employers and managers
B. Higher professional
C. Lower professional
D. Non-manual
E. Manual skilled
F. Semi-skilled
G. Unskilled
H. Own account workers
I. Farmers
J. Agricultural workers
K. All other gainfully employed
L. Unknown
Reference:
- Appendix 2: Relationship between Occupation, Employment status and SEG - 1996 Census of Population
2. Social Class (SC)
- Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification / 1. Professional workers
2. Managerial and technical
3. Non-manual
4. Skilled manual
5. Semi-skilled
6. Unskilled
7. All other gainfully employed and unknown
Reference:
- Appendix 2: Relationship between Occupation, Employment status and SC - 1996 Census of Population
I / - No official SEC
L / - No official SEC
NL / - Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification / I. Most aggregated level (11 items, including 6 for the economically active)
Economically active
Employed labour force1-2. Managers, highly skilled non-manual employees
3-4. Other non-manual employees
5-6-7. Small self-employed, self-employed farmers
8-9. Supervisors manual employees, skilled manual employees
10-11. Semi- and unskilled manual and agrarian employees
Unemployed labour force
12 Unemployed labour force
Not economically active
13. Pupils and students14. Disabled
15. Retired
16. Housekeepers who look after under aged children
17. Not elsewhere classified
II. Detailed level (17 items, including 12 for the economically active)
Economically active
Employed labour force
1. Managers, academic occupations and self-employed with 10 or more employees
2. Supervisors non-manual employees, highly skilled non-manual employees
3. Skilled non-manual amployees
4. Semi- and unskilled non-manual employees
5. Self-employed with 1-9 employees
6. Self-employed without employees
7. Self-employed farmers or supervisors agrarian employees
8. Supervisors manual employees, highly skilled manual employees
9. Skilled manual employees
10. Semi- and unskilled manual employees
11. Agrarian employees
Unemployed labour force
12. Unemployed labour force
Not economicaly active
13. Pupils and students
14. Disabled
15. Retired
16. Housekeepers who look after under aged children
17. Not elsewhere classified
Table 2. Structure and description of SECs (continuation)
A / 1. Status in employment
- Partially ordered, multi-dimensional classification
- It does not have a modular structure / A short version of the Status in employment is used in the population census; another version, more detailed in the Austrian micro-census.
Population census version
1. Employer2. Own-account worker
3. Unpaid family worker
4. Employee - non manual
5. Skilled manual worker
6. Semi-skilled manual worker
7. Unskilled manual worker
8. Apprentice non-manual occupation
9. Apprentice manual occupation
10. Income recipient
Austrian micro-census standard version
Economically active persons
1. Blue-collar worker2. White collar worker (private enterprises)
3. Civil servant
4. Public employee
5. Self-employed farmer
6. Self-employed (excluding farmers)
7. Liberal professional
8. Family worker (farmer)
9. Family worker (excluding farmers)
Retired persons10. Family worker (liberal professional)
11. Retired blue-collar worker
12. Retired white collar worker (private enterprises)
13. Retired civil servant
14. Retired public employee
15. Retired self-employed farmer
16. Retired self-employed (excluding retired farmers)
17. Retired liberal professional
18. Retired family worker (farmer)
19. Retired family worker (excluding farmers)
20. Retired family worker (liberal professional)
Austrian micro-census detailed version
Economically active persons
11. Unskilled worker (excluding agriculture, forestry)12. Unskilled worker (agriculture, forestry)
13. Semiskilled worker
14. Skilled worker
15. Foreman or master
21. White collar worker, subsidiary employment
22. White collar worker, simple employment
23. White collar worker, middle employment
24. White collar worker, higher employment
25. White collar worker, highly qualified
26. White collar worker, leading employment
Table 2. Structure and description of SECs (continuation)