Description

LOOKING indicates whether or not persons who did not work during the previous week had actively sought a job or pursued opening their own business or professional practice within the past four weeks.

See EMPSTAT for further discussion of labor force and employment concepts. Information comparable to that in LOOKING is available in the 1950 variable ACTIVITY.

Comparability

Except for universe changes, this variable is largely comparable across years. Persons who should have answered the question but did not were placed in a separate "Not Reported" category in the 1980, 2000 census samples, the 2003-onward ACS, and the 2005-onward PRCS. These individuals were placed in the "Not Applicable" category in 1990 census sample and the 2000-2002 ACS samples. They were not allocated and remain in these categories in the IPUMS.

Starting with the 2008 ACS, the Census Bureau implemented changes to the survey questionnaire to bring ACS estimates of labor force statistics closer to estimates from other data sources. Researchers should use caution when comparing employment questions across the 2007-2008 period.

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: 5%
• 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

LOOKING, ABSENT, WRKRECAL, and AVAILBLE (Looking for work, Absent from work last week, Informed of work recall, and Available for work)
ACS Years: 2005, 2006, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013, 2014, 2015
ACS editing procedure:
In 2005, if a person who is less than 15 years old (AGE) has a value for LOOKING, ABSENT, WRKRECAL, or AVAILBLE, it will be replaced with a "Not in Universe" value.
If a person who is 15 or older (AGE) has "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value" for LOOKING, ABSENT, WRKRECAL, or AVAILBLE, it will be replaced with "Not Reported."
In 2006 and following years, if a person who is less than 16 years old (AGE) has a value for LOOKING, ABSENT, WRKRECAL, or AVAILBLE, it will be replaced with a "Not in Universe" value.
If a person who is 16 or older (AGE) has "Blank, Don't Know, Refused, or Bad Value" for LOOKING, ABSENT, WRKRECAL, or AVAILBLE, it will be replaced with "Not Reported."
Internal ACS variable : NWLK, NWAB, NWRE, and NWAV