Description

UHRSWORK reports the number of hours per week that the respondent usually worked, if the person worked during the previous year. The census inquiry relates to the previous calendar year, while the ACS and the PRCS uses the previous 12 months as the reference period.

UHRSWORK is a 2-digit numeric variable that reports the number of hours per week that the respondent usually worked, if the person worked during the previous year. The census inquiry relates to the previous calendar year, while the ACS and the PRCS uses the previous 12 months as the reference period. UHRSWORK specific variable codes for missing, edited, or unidentified observations, observations not applicable (N/A), observations not in universe (NIU), top and bottom value coding, etc. are provided below if applicable by Census year (and data sample if specified).

UHRSWORK Specific Variable Codes
00 = N/A
99 = 99 hours (Top Code)

Comparability

Except for differences in the reference period, this variable is fully comparable across years.

User Caution: The variables HRSWORK1 and HRSWORK2 report hours worked during the previous week for 1940 through 1990. The number of hours worked during a particular week (i.e., the week before the census for these two variables) is not necessarily the same as the usual number of hours worked. See EMPSTAT for definitions of key labor force and employment terminology.

Universe

Availability

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: ACS; ACS 3yr; ACS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2004: All samples
• 2003: All samples
• 2002: All samples
• 2001: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: --
• 1960: --
• 1950: --
• 1940: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --
• 1900: --
• 1880: --
• 1870: --
• 1860: --
• 1850: --

• 2023: All samples
• 2022: All samples
• 2021: All samples
• 2020: All samples
• 2019: All samples
• 2018: All samples
• 2017: All samples
• 2016: All samples
• 2015: All samples
• 2014: All samples
• 2013: All samples
• 2012: All samples
• 2011: All samples
• 2010: PRCS; PRCS 3yr; PRCS 5yr
• 2009: All samples
• 2008: All samples
• 2007: All samples
• 2006: All samples
• 2005: All samples
• 2000: All samples
• 1990: All samples
• 1980: All samples
• 1970: --
• 1930: --
• 1920: --
• 1910: --

Flags

Editing Procedure

WKSWORK1 (Weeks worked last year, for 2005-2007)
UHRSWORK (Usual hours worked per week)
WORKEDYR (Worked last year)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
Note: WKSWORK1, UHRSWORK, and WORKEDYR are also edited and allocated with the earnings variables. See INCWAGE for more editing and allocation procesures.
If a person has a "Not in universe" value for employment status (EMPSTAT) and weeks worked in the past 12 months is 0 (WKSWORK1), WKSWORK1 will be replaced with "Not in universe." If a person has a "Not in universe" value for employment status (EMPSTAT) and hours usually worked is 0 (UHRSWORK), UHRSWORK will be replaced with "Not in universe."
If a person has a value for employment status (EMPSTAT) and hours usually worked is over 99, UHRSWORK will be replaced with "99." When this occurs,
If a person has a value for employment status (EMPSTAT) but has no value for when they last worked (WORKEDYR) but they indicate they worked last week (WRKLSTWK) and weeks worked in the past 12 months (WKSWORK1) is positive or hours worked per week (UHRSWORK) is positive, WORKEDYR will be replaced with "Worked within past 12 months." When this occurs,
If a person has a value for employment status (EMPSTAT) and reports having worked in the past 12 months (WORKEDYR), but has "Not in the labor force" in their industry (IND) and doesn't report any earnings (INCWAGE, INCBUS00), WORKEDYR will be replaced with a missing value.
If a person reports being employed (EMPSTAT) but reports not having worked in the past 12 months (WORKEDYR), WORKEDYR will be replaced with a "Worked within past 12 months." When this occurs,
If a person has a value for employment status (EMPSTAT), reports not having worked in the past 12 months or this value is missing (WORKEDYR), but they report having earnings (INCWAGE, INCBUS00), WORKEDYR will be replaced with "Worked in the past 12 months."
If a person reports being not employed (EMPSTAT), reports not having worked in the past 12 months (WORKEDYR), they do not report having earnings (INCWAGE, INCBUS00), but has a positive value for weeks worked in the past 12 months (WKSWORK1), hours worked per week (UHRSWORK) is positive, class of worker (CLASSWKR) is not "Worked at home" and age is less than 60, WORKEDYR will be replaced with "Worked in the past 12 months."
If a person who is not self-employed (CLASSWKR) reports that they worked between 5 and 10 hours a week (UHRSWORK) and their computed hourly wage is greater than $50, replace hours per week with 5 time their reported hours per week. (The hourly wage used here is computed by dividing their income for the past year from wage or salary (INCWAGE) by the product of their reported hours per week and weeks worked per year)
After all the previous steps have occurred, if a person reports that they have not worked in the past year (WORKEDYR), but has a positive value for weeks worked in the past 12 months (WKSWORK1) or hours worked per week (UHRSWORK), it will be replaced with a "Not in universe."
Internal ACS variable : WKL WKWX WKW WKH