Furvey of the Bureau of the Census. Since hey are based on a sample, they are subject o sampling variability. The smaller figures nd small differences between figures should e used with particular care, as indicated in be section on reliability of estimates on page 4. DEFINITIONS AND EXPLANATIONS Survey week.--The figures relate to the calendar week (Sunday to Saturday) which conteins the 8th day of the month. At work.--Persons at work comprise those who, during the survey week, did any work for pay or profit, or worked without pay for 15 hours or more on a family farm or business. Unemployed.--Unemployed persons include those who did not work at all during the survey week and who were looking for work. Also included as unemployed are persons who would have been looking for work except that (a) they were temporarily ill, (b) they expected to return to a job from which they had been laid off for an indefinite period, or (c) they believed no work was available in their line of work in the community. Industry and class of worker.--The data on industry and class of worker relate to the job held during the survey week. Persons employed at two or more jobs were reported in the job at which they worked the greatest number of hours during the week. The industrial categories shown are based on the classification system used in the 1950 Census of Population. The composition of these categories in terms of detailed industries is shown in Volume II of the reports of the 1950 Census of Population. The category "Service industries" includes the following 1950 major groups: Finance, insurance, and real estate; business and repair services; private households and other personal services; entertainment and recreation services; and professional and related services. The group "Public adainistration" includes those activities which are uniquely governmental in character, as legislative and judicial activities and most of the activities in the executive agencies. Government agencies engaged in educational and medical services and in activities COD only carried on by private enterprises, such as transportation service and manufacturing, are classified in the appropriate industrial category. The category "Other indus such The class-of-worker classification used here comprises "Wage and salary workers," "Self-employed workers," and "Unpaid family workers." Wage and salary workers are persons working for wages, salary, commission, tips, pay in kind, or at piece-rates for a private employer or for any governmental unit. Selfemployed workers are persons working in their own business, profession, or trade, or operating a farm, for profit or fees. Unpaid family workers are persons working without pay on a farm or in a business operated by a member of the household to whom they are related by blood or marriage. unemployed persons, the enumerator asked, "Was he looking for full-time or part-time work?" SOURCE AND RELIABILITY OF THE ESTIMATES The estimates presented in this report are based on data obtained in connection with the monthly population sample survey of the Bureau of the Census. The statistics for March' are based on a new sample design, instituted in January, which consists of about 25,000 dwelling units and other living quarters located in 230 sample areas in 46 States and the District of Columbia. The data for December, and for all previous periods for which similar information was obtained, were based on a different sample, which also consisted of about 25,000 units but which covered only 68 sample areas in 42 States and the District of Columbia. in The estimating procedure used this survey involved, as a final step, the inflation of weighted sample results to independent estimates of the civilian noninstitutional population of the United States by age, color, and sex. For the figures shown in this report, the independent estimates used were based on statistics from the 1950 Census of Population; statistics of births, deaths, immigration, and emigration; and statistics on the strength of the Armed Forces and separation records. For November 1952 and earlier reports on part-time workers, the independent estimates were based on data of the 1940 Census of Population similarly adjusted to take account of the aging of the population, births, deaths, net immigration, and changes in the size of the Armed Forces. Since the estimates are based on a sample, they may differ somewhat from the figures that would have been obtained if a complete census had been taken, using the same schedules, instructions, and enumerators. The following illustration, based upon rough computations from the new survey, indicates the order of magnitude of the sampling errors for some typical statistics in March 1954. An estimated 2,669,000 persons worked from 1 to 14 hours during the survey week. This number was 27.9 percent of the total number of persons working part time. The relative sampling error is about 4.5 percent of the estimate of 2,669,000 and roughly 4 percent of the 27.9 percent. The chances are about 2 out of 3 that the estimates from the sample differ from the results which would be obtained from a complete census by the percentages indicated above for the particular items. The chances are about 19 out of 20 that the differences would be less than twice the specified percentages and about 99 out of 100 that they would be less than 21⁄2 times the percentages. Statistics based on both the 230-area and the 68-area samples were obtained for January and February of this year; and, for both months, the new sample provided somewhat higher estimates of the total number of part-time workers. The sampling variability of DecemberMarch differences is somewhat larger than for previous quarters because of the different sets of sample areas in the two periods, as well as the difference in the sets of households used for each of the designs. In addition, some part of the difference may have arisen from variation in enumerator practices and respondent errors. Enumerators in the 230-area design had been more recently trained in the concepts and were under more careful supervision during this period of time than those in the 68-area design. The December figures on the various groups of part-time workers covered in this report may, therefore, be slightly understated relative to the March data. Studies are now in progress to determine whether the statistics on part-time eployment, as well as for other categories, should be revised for the last several months under the old sample design. LIST OF TABLES Table Page 1.--Persons at work in agriculture and in nonagricultural industries, classified as full time or part time, by sex: March 1954 and December 1953...... 2.--Persons working part time in total and in nonagricultural industries, classified by 5 full-time or part-time status, by hours worked and sex: March 1954.... 3.--Persons with full-time jobs who worked part time during the survey week in total and 6 in nonagricultural industries, by reason working less than usual number of hours: March 1954 and December 1953.... 4.--Persons at work classified by full-time or part-time status, by age, color, and sex: March 1954.... 7 5.--Persons at work classified by full-time or part-time status, by class of worker and major industry group: March 1954 and December 1953.... 7 6.--Unemployed persons looking for full-time or part-time work, by age, color, and sex: March 1954.. 8 Table 1.--PERSONS AT WORK IN AGRICULTURE AND IN NONAGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, CLASSIFIED AS FULL TIME OR PART TIME, BY SEX: Table 2.-PERSONS WORKING PART TIME, TOTAL AND IN NONAGRICULTURAL INDUSTRIES, CLASSIFIED BY FULL-TIME OR PART-TIME STATUS, Both sexes, working part time.... Usually work full time at present job... Worked part time because of economic factors. Worked part time for other reasons...... Usually work part time at present job.......... 1,213,000 960,000 100.0 36.5 28.0 246,000 166,000 100.0 28.0 25.1 4,932,000 1,298,000 1,206,000 1,114,000 1,312,000 100.0 2,424,000 338,000 486,000 654,000 946,000 100.0 1,314,000 154,000 256,000 338,000 566,000 100.0 1,110,000 184,000 230,000 316,000 380,000 100.0 16.6 2,506,000 960,000 720,000 460,000 366,000 100.0 38.3 28.7 146,000 104,000 128,000 94,000 100.0 30.9 22.0 814,000 616,000 332,000 272,000 100.0 40.0 30.3 1,371,000 1,190,000 1,051,000 1,030,000 100.0 29.5 25.6 22.6 104,000 170,000 242,000 100.0 8.5 18.4 30.1 42 88,000 128,000 194,000 100.0 9.7 19.4 28.2 42. |