Group 1 Online Group 1 Probe at end Questions

Introduction

We would like your help evaluating questions that ask about the availability of paid and
unpaid leave on your job.
These questions might be used in a future survey, so we want them to be clear and easy
to answer.
Please remember to talk out loud as you answer each question, and mention anything that
confuses you or which you find difficult to answer.
Be sure to enter an answer for each question. The questions should take no more than 20
minutes to complete. However, don't worry if you are not able to complete all the
questions within the allotted timeframe. Rather than rush, take your time and describe any
problems you encounter.
After you have answered the survey questions, a section will appear with some Follow-up
Questions. These questions are not survey questions. Instead, they ask for additional
information to help us better understand how you arrived at your answer. You answer
these questions by talking out loud. If you already provided this information when you were
answering the survey question, you don't have to provide it again. Just skip the follow-up
question.
Thank you for your help. Click Next below when you are ready to continue.

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under OMB Number 1225-0141. Without this currently-approved number, we could not conduct this survey. (Expiration: April 30, 2018).
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Before we begin, please tell us the name or title of your occupation.
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Paid Leave

The next few questions are about the availability of paid and unpaid leave in your
job. If you work more than one job, answer the following questions about your main
job, or the job with the most hours.
1. Do you receive paid leave on your job?
Yes
No
Don't know

Reasons for Paid Leave

Here is a list of reasons for why you might have to miss work. For each reason,
please indicate if you are able to take paid leave in your job.
2. Your own illness or medical care
Yes
No
Don't know

3. Illness or medical care of another family member
Yes
No
Don't know

4. Childcare, other than for illness
Yes
No
Don't know

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5. Eldercare
Yes
No
Don't know

6. Vacation
Yes
No
Don't know

7. Errands or personal reasons
Yes
No
Don't know

8. Birth or adoption of a child
Yes
No
Don't know

Types of Leave Plans

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9. Now this next question asks about the types of paid leave plans offered by your employer.
Some employers offer leave plans that require workers to use paid leave for specific purposes.
For example, sick leave might be available but it cannot be used for vacation time. Please
read the list below of different types of paid leave plans, and indicate which of these are
available to you on your job.
(Note: If you have a consolidated leave plan or PTO, mark that column for vacation, sick
leave, and personal days)
Yes

No

Don't
know PTO

Vacation
Sick leave
(For females only) Separate plan for maternity leave
(For males only) Separate plan for paternity leave
Personal days

10. Can you use paid sick leave for family members who are ill or need care?
Yes
No
Don't know

Paid Time Off (PTO)

11. Some employers also offer a paid leave plan, called a consolidated leave plan or PTO. In this
type of plan you get a fixed number of hours, which you can then use for whatever reason you
would like to take leave — whether you’re sick, going on a vacation, or need some personal
time. Does your employer offer this type of plan?
Yes
No
Don't know

Access to unpaid leave - And have paid leave

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The following question asks about the availability of unpaid leave.
12. In addition to your paid leave, are you allowed to take time off from work without pay?
Yes
No
Don't know

Access to unpaid leave - and do not have paid leave in main job

The following question asks about the availability of unpaid leave.
13. In your main job, are you allowed to take time off from work without pay?
Yes
No
Don't know

Reasons for unpaid leave

14. Following are reasons why you might have to miss work. Assuming that you have

received your employer’s approval, for each reason, please tell me whether or not you are
able to take time off from work without pay.
Own illness or medical care?
Yes
No
Don't know

15. Illness or medical care of another family member?
Yes
No
Don't know

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16. Childcare, other than for illness?
Yes
No
Don't know

17. Eldercare?
Yes
No
Don' know

18. Following are more reasons why you might have to miss work. Assuming that you have

received your employer’s approval, for each reason, please tell me whether or not you are
able to take time off from work without pay.
Vacation?
Yes
No
Don't know

19. Errands or personal reasons?
Yes
No
Don't know

20. Birth or adoption of a child?
Yes
No
Don't know

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21. Is there another reason, not already covered, why you can take unpaid leave?
Yes - if yes, please explain by talking out loud
No

Time taken off in last week?

22. The following questions ask about your work time in the past week.
Did you take any paid or unpaid leave from your job over the past seven days?
Yes
No
Don't know

Took leave in past week

23. In the past seven days, how many hours of paid or unpaid leave did you take in total?

24. Did you use paid leave for any of the time that you took off from work in the past seven
days?
Yes, paid for all
Yes, paid for some
No, not paid

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25. Thinking about your longest period of leave in the last seven days, what was the main
reason you had to take off from work?
Own illness or medical care
Illness or medical care of another family member
Childcare, other than for illness
Eldercare
Vacation
Errands or personal reasons
Birth or adoption of a child
Other (please specify)

Job Flexibility and Work Schedule

Before we move on to the next section of questions, please think about a hypothetical situation. Assume
you work in a job where you occasionally had a week or more off with no scheduled work. For example,
perhaps because you were a landscaper who did not work when there was no work, or you were a teacher
who had summers off.
How would you answer the following question for the landscaper and the teacher if you had not worked the
preceding week? For the landscaper because there was no scheduled work, and for the teacher because it
was summer break.
In the past seven days, how many hours of paid or unpaid leave did you take in total?”

26. The next set of questions ask about how much flexibility you have in arranging your work
schedule.
Do you have flexible work hours that allow you to vary or make changes in the time you begin
and end work?
Yes
No
Don't know

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27. Can you change the times you begin and end work on a frequent basis, occasionally, or only rarely?
Frequent basis
Occasionally
Rarely

Yes, can vary start and end times

28. Is your flexible work schedule part of a program or policy offered by your employer?
Yes
No
Don't know

29. Are the times that you can begin and end work completely flexible, or are there certain hours of the day,
such as 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., that you have to work each day?
Completely flexible
Must cover certain hours
Other (please specify)

Input into hours you begin and end work?

30. Do you have any input into the hours you begin and end work or does your employer decide?
Worker has some input
Employer decides
Other - please explain

Advance Notice

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31. How far in advance do you usually know what days and hours you will need to work?
1 week or less
Between 1 and 2 weeks
Between 3 and 4 weeks
4 weeks or more

32.
On your main job, do you USUALLY work a daytime schedule or some
other schedule?
Daytime
Other schedule

Other Schedule

33. Which of the following best describes the hours you usually work at your main job?
An evening shift – any time between 2 p.m. and midnight
A night shift – any time between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
A rotating shift – one that changes periodically from days to evenings or night
A split shift– one consisting of two distinct periods each day
An irregular shift
Some other shift

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34. What is the main reason why you work this type of shift?
Better arrangements for family or childcare
Better pay
Allows time for school
Could not get any other shift
Nature of the job
Personal preference
Other (please specify)

Daytime

35. How many days of the week do you usually work?
Please enter number of days in box below
It varies
Number of days

36. Do you work an alternative work schedule where you can work fewer days during a pay period by
working more hours per day?
Yes
No

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37. Which days of the week do you usually work?
Monday through Friday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
It varies

38. As part of your job, can you work at home?
Yes
No
Don't know

Can work at home

39. Do you ever work at home?
Yes
No

Yes, work at home

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40. Are you paid for the hours that you work at home, or do you just take work home from the
job?
Paid
Take work home
Both

41. What is the main reason why you work at home?
Finish or catch up on work
Job requires working at home
Coordinate work schedule with personal or family needs
Reduce commuting time or expense
Personal preference
Other (please specify)

42. Are there days when you work only at home?
Yes
No

43. How often do you work only at home?
Everyday
At least once a week
Once every 2 weeks
Once a month
Less than once a month

Non-Use of Leave

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44. The next few questions are about times when you may have needed to take off from work but could
not.
During the past month, were there situations in which you needed to take off from work but did not?
Yes
No
Don't know

Needed to take time off in past month but did not

45. Why did you need to take off work? (Select all that apply)
Own illness or medical care
Illness or medical care of another family member
Childcare, other than for illness
Eldercare
Vacation
Errands or personal reasons
Birth or adoption of a child
Other (please specify)

Decided Not to Take Time Off in Past Month

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46. Why did you decide not to take leave?
Too much work
Wanted to save leave
Leave was denied
Did not have enough leave
Fear of job loss or other negative employment-related consequence
Could not afford the loss in income
Other (please specify)

Follow-up Questions

You have answered all the survey questions. Thinking back, were any of the questions
confusing or difficult to answer? If so, which ones?

Eldercare

Some of the questions asked about eldercare. What did you think of when you thought of
eldercare?

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47. The question below asked about the types of leave plans offered by your employer. Was it
clear this question was asking about types of leave plans, and not the reasons for taking leave?

Now this question asks about the types of paid leave plans offered by your employer. Some
employers offer leave plans that require workers to use paid leave for specific purposes. For
example, sick leave might be available but it cannot be used for vacation time. Please read the
list below of different types of paid leave plans, and indicate which of these are available to you
on your job.
(Note: If you have a consolidated leave plan or PTO, mark that column for vacation, sick
leave, and personal days)
Yes

No

Don't
know PTO

Vacation
Sick leave
(For females only) Separate plan for maternity leave
(For males only) Separate plan for paternity leave
Personal days

48. You may not have been asked the question below, but it asked how often someone could change the
times they begin and end work.
How would you define frequent, occasionally, or rarely in this question?
Can you change the times you begin and end work on a frequent basis, occasionally, or only rarely?
Frequent basis
Occasionally
Rarely

What's the simplest explanation you can give of a consolidated leave plan or PTO?

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49. The following question asks which shift someone worked. If you didn't answer this
question, please click Next below.
If you answered the question, did you find a good match for your work schedule?
Which of the following best describes the hours you usually work at your main job?
An evening shift – any time between 2 p.m. and midnight
A night shift – any time between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
A rotating shift – one that changes periodically from days to evenings or night
A split shift– one consisting of two distinct periods each day
An irregular shift
Some other shift

Alternative work schedule

Another question asked about alternative work schedules. What is an alternative work
schedule in your own words?

50. If you didn't work at home, please click Next below and skip to the next question.
How easy or hard was it to answer the question below?
Are you a salaried, hourly, or contract worker?
Do you consider the hours that you work at home paid hours? Why or why not?

Are you paid for the hours that you work at home, or do you just take work home from the
job?
Paid
Take work home
Both

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51. If you didn't work at home, please skip this question.
In your own words, what does it mean to work only at home?
Are there days when you work only at home?
Yes
No

Thank you! You are done!

Thank you! You have finished evaluating all of the questions.

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