Leave Supplement to the American Time Use Survey

ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

American Time Use Survey
2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities
Module Questionnaire

April 2017
The 2017 Leave Module is collected under OMB control #1220-0191
with an expiration of June 30, 2018.

ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities
Module Questionnaire

Table of Contents
Introduction ...................................................................................................... 3
Section 1. Access to Paid Leave ........................................................................... 4
Section 2. Access to Unpaid Leave ........................................................................ 7
Section 3. Leave taken in the last week ............................................................... 11
Section 5. Job flexibility .................................................................................... 13
Section 6. Non-use of Leave .............................................................................. 21

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Introduction
Sponsored by the U.S. Department of Labor Women’s Bureau, the 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities
Module is being fielded with the American Time Use Survey (ATUS) from January 2017 through
December 2017. The ATUS is a continuous survey that started in January 2003. The Leave and Job
Flexibilities Module includes questions about workers' access to and use of paid and unpaid leave,
job flexibility, and their work schedules.
Respondents who are coded as employed wage and salary workers (except those who are selfemployed) in the ATUS and complete the 24-hour diary are selected for the Leave Module.
The Leave and Job Flexibilities Module questionnaire provides the data user with question universes,
question wording, response choices, and skip patterns based on different responses. It also includes
descriptions of each section of the module. Each question asked in the module has a variable name
associated with it. Variable names associated with the questions should not be confused with the
variable names provided in the ATUS data dictionaries and on the data files. After collection, many
variables are processed further to improve data quality.
Information for each question is contained within individual boxes in this document. (See example
below.)

Variable
Name

Question Universe
Question fills
are shown in
brackets

PAID
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1

Do you receive paid leave on your [current/main] job? [Fill: By main job, we
mean the one at which you usually work the most hours.]
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t Know/ Refused

[Go to RSNPD_A]
[Go to UNPD_INTRO]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Section 1: Access to Paid Leave
The Leave and Job Flexibilities Module includes all wage and salary workers except those who are
self-employed. The Leave and Job Flexibilities Module begins with an introduction explaining the
content of the next set of questions and then proceeds to a screen asking about access to paid leave
at one’s job. Access to paid leave questions were designed to provide information on who had access
to paid leave at their jobs and reasons for which workers were able to take paid leave from their
jobs.
PAID_Intro
Universe: [All wage and salary workers, excluding all self-employed]
[[(TUFWK=1 and not (io1wp=2 and n_hrusl1 lt 15 and n_hrusl1 ne -4))
or (TUBUS2=1) or (tubus2 in (2,-2,-3,9,8) and (n_hrusl1 ge 15 or n_hrusl1=-4))
or (tubus1=1 and tubus2=-1)
or 4 <= TUABSRSN <= 12 OR (TUABSRSN in (14,-2,-3,99,98) and not (io1wp=2 and n_hrusl1
lt 15 and n_hrusl1 ne -4))]
and
[(IODP1=1 and IO1COW in (1, 2, 3, 4, 5)) or IO1INT in (1, 2, 3,-2,-3)]]
Question Text:
The next few questions are about paid and unpaid leave from a job.
Enter 1 to Continue [Go to PAID]

PAID
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
Do you receive paid leave on your [current/main] job? [Fill: By main job, we
mean the one at which you usually work the most hours.]
3. Yes
4. No
Don’t Know/ Refused

[Go to RSNPD_A]
[Go to UNPD_INTRO]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

RSNPD_A
Universe: PAID = 1
I’m going to read you a list of reasons why you might have to miss work. Can you
take paid leave for…
*Read if necessary: Don’t Know is a valid response.
*Read if necessary for multiple jobholders: Please focus on your main job when you
answer.
Your own illness or medical care?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_B]

RSNPD_B
Universe: PAID = 1
The illness or medical care of another family member?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_C]

RSNPD_C
Universe: PAID = 1
Childcare, other than for illness?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_D]

RSNPD_D
Universe: PAID = 1
Eldercare?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_E]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

RSNPD_E
Universe: PAID = 1
Vacation?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_F]

RSNPD_F
Universe: PAID = 1
Errands or personal reasons?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNPD_G]

RSNPD_G
Universe: PAID = 1
The birth or adoption of a child?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal
[Go to UNPD_INTRO]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Section 2: Access to Unpaid Leave
Questions about access to unpaid leave were designed to provide information about whether workers
are able to take leave without pay from their jobs and, if so, for which reasons. The questions in
this section also ask workers if they have ever taken unpaid leave from their job.
UNPD_INTRO
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
Now I’m going to ask you about UNPAID leave.
Enter 1 to Continue

[Go to UNPAID]

UNPAID
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
[In addition to your paid leave/In your main job/In your current job] are you allowed to
take time off from work WITHOUT pay?
*Read if necessary: Earlier I asked you whether you receive PAID leave on your job.
Now I’d like to know whether you can take time off WITHOUT pay.
*Read if necessary: Don’t Know is a valid response.
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refused

[Go to RSNUN_A]
[If PAID ≠ 1, go to JF_INTRO],
[Else go to LEAVE_INTRO]

RSNUN_A
Universe: UNPAID = 1
Would your employer approve of you taking UNPAID leave for the following reasons…?
*Read if necessary: Don’t Know is a valid response.
*Read if necessary for multiple jobholders: Please focus on your main job when
you answer.
Your own illness or medical care?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_B]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

RSNUN_B
Universe: UNPAID = 1
The illness or medical care of another family member?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_C]

RSNUN_C
Universe: UNPAID = 1
Childcare, other than for illness?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_D]

RSNUN_D
Universe: UNPAID = 1
Eldercare?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_E]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire
RSNUN_E
Universe: UNPAID = 1
Vacation?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_F]

RSNUN_F
Universe: UNPAID = 1
Errands or personal reasons?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to RSNUN_G]

RSNUN_G
Universe: UNPAID = 1
The birth or adoption of a child?
1. Yes
2. No
3. It depends
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to UNEVER]

[If RSNUN_A = 1 or RSNUN_A=3 or RSNUN_B = 1 or RSNUN_B=3 or
RSNUN_C = 1 or RSNUN_C=3 or RSNUN_D = 1 or RSNUN_D=3 or
RSNUN_E = 1 or RSNUN_E=3 or RSNUN_F = 1 or RSNUN_F=3 or
RSNUN_G = 1 or RSNUN_G=3, Go to UNEVER]
[Else go to LEAVE_Intro]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

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UNEVER
Universe: RSNUN_A = 1 or RSNUN_A=3 or RSNUN_B = 1 or RSNUN_B=3 or
RSNUN_C = 1 or RSNUN_C=3 or RSNUN_D = 1 or RSNUN_D=3 or
RSNUN_E = 1 or RSNUN_E=3 or RSNUN_F = 1 or RSNUN_F=3 or
RSNUN_G = 1 or RSNUN_G=3
In your [fill: main/current] job, have you ever taken UNPAID leave for [fill: this/these]
reason(s)?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal
[Go to LEAVE_Intro]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Section 3: Leave taken in last week
The next set of questions collects information about the amount and reasons for which workers
took paid or unpaid leave in the week prior to the interview day.

LEAVE_Intro
Universe: PAID = 1 or UNPAID = 1
Now I want to ask you about your work time in the past week.
* Enter 1 to continue.

[Go to LEAVE]

LEAVE
Universe: PAID = 1 or UNPAID = 1
Did you take any paid or unpaid leave from your [fill: main] job over the past seven
days, that is from last [fill: current day] through yesterday?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t know/Refusal

[Go to LVHRS]
[Go to JF_Intro]

LVHRS
Universe: LEAVE = 1
In the past seven days, how many hours of leave did you take in total?
<1-168, Don’t Know, Refusal>

[If PAID = 1 go to PDWK]
[Else go to LVMAIN]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

PDWK
Universe: LEAVE = 1 and PAID = 1
Did you use PAID leave for any of the time that you took off from work in the past
seven days?
*Read if necessary: Did you use paid leave for all of this time off or just some of it?
1. Yes, paid for all
2. Yes, paid for some
3. No, not paid
Don’t know/Refusal
[Skip to LVMAIN]
LVMAIN
Universe: LEAVE = 1
Question text:
Thinking about your longest period of leave in the last seven days, what was the
main reason you had to take off from work?
Read if necessary: Was your longest period of leave due to your own illness or
medical care, the illness or medical care of a family member, childcare other than for
illness, eldercare, vacation, errands or personal reasons, or the birth or adoption of a
child?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.

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, specify
[Go to LVMAIN_SP]
Don’t Know/Refusal
<1-7, Don’t Know, Refusal>
[Go to JF_INTRO]

LVMAIN_SP
Universe: LVMAIN = 8
Question text:
* Specify

[Go TO JF_INTRO]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Section 4: Job flexibility and work schedules
The next set of questions collects information about workers’ job flexibility and work schedules. This
includes questions about shift work, advance notice of schedules, workers’ control over their
schedules, flexible start and stop times, and work at home arrangements.
JF_INTRO
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
The next set of questions are about how much flexibility you have in arranging your
work schedule (at your main job).
* Enter 1 to continue.

[Go to JF_1]

JF_1
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
Do you have flexible work hours that allow you to vary or make changes in the times
you begin and end work?
1. Yes [Go to to JF_1A]
2. No [Go to to JF_3]
Don’t know, Refusal [Go to JF_3]

JF_1A
Universe: JF_1 = 1
Can you change the times you begin and end work on a frequent basis,
occasionally, or only rarely?
1. Frequent basis
2. Occasionally
3. Rarely
[Go to JF_2]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

JF_2
Universe: JF_1 = 1
Is your flexible work schedule part of a formal, written program or policy offered by your
employer, or is it just an informal arrangement?
1. Formal program or policy
2. Informal arrangement
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to JF_4]

JF_3
Universe: JF_1 = 2, DK, RF
Do you have any input into the hours you begin and end work or does your employer
decide?
1. Worker has some input
2. Employer decides
3. Other
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to JF_4]

JF_4
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
How far in advance do you know your work schedule (at your main job)?
*Interviewer instructions: if the respondent reports that he has a set work schedule, it is
permissible to record “4 or more weeks” without any additional probing.
1. Less than 1 week
2. From 1 to 2 weeks (not including 2 weeks)
3. From 2 to 3 weeks (not including 3 weeks)
4. From 3 to 4 weeks (not including 4 weeks)
5. 4 weeks or more
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to JF_5]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

JF_5
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
On your [main/current] job, do you USUALLY work a daytime schedule or some other
schedule?
*Read if necessary: By daytime, I mean a schedule in which most work is done between
the hours of 6 a.m. and 6 p.m.
1. Daytime– most work is done between 6 a.m. and 6 p.m. [Go to to JF_8]
2. Some other schedule [Go to JF_6]
Don’t know, Refusal [Go to JF_8]

JF_6
Universe: JF_5 = 2
What hours do you usually work [at your main job]?
*Read if necessary: Do you usually work evenings, nights, a rotating shift, a split shift,
an irregular schedule, or some other shift?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

An evening shift – most work is done between 2 p.m. and midnight
A night shift – most work is done between 9 p.m. and 8 a.m.
A rotating shift – hours change periodically from days to evenings or night
A split shift – hours consist of two distinct periods each day
An irregular schedule
Some other shift
Don’t know, refusal
[Go to JF_7]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

JF_7
Universe: JF_5 = 2
(Read list and choose one)
What is the main reason why you work this type of shift?
*Read if necessary: Do you work this shift because of family or childcare arrangements,
better pay, to allow time for school, because you could not get another shift, it’s the
nature of the job, because it’s your personal preference, or some other reason?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

Better arrangements for family or childcare
Better pay
Allows time for school
Could not get any other shift
Nature of the job
Personal preference
Some other reason – specify
[Go to JF_7_SP]
Don’t know, Refusal

<1-6, Don’t Know, Refusal>

[Go to JF_8]

JF_7_SP
Universe: JF_7 = 7
Question text:
* Specify

[Go TO JF_8]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

JF_8
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
How many days of the week do you usually work (at your main job)?
* If respondent specifies 2 or more options, select all that apply
1 Day
2 Days
3 Days
4 Days
5 Days
6 Days
7 Days
Don’t know, Refusal
[If JF_8 = 7 Go to JF_10 Else Go to JF_9]

JF_9
Universe: JF_8 = 1-6, DK, R
Which days of the week do you usually work (at your main job)?
*Select all that apply
Monday through Friday
Sunday
Monday
Tuesday
Wednesday
Thursday
Friday
Saturday
It varies
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to JF_10]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

JF_10
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
As part of your (main) job, can you work at home?
1. Yes [Go to JF_11]
2. No [Go to NOLV_Intro]
Don’t know, Refusal [Go to NOLV_Intro]

JF_11
Universe: JF_10 = 1
Do you ever work at home?
1. Yes [Go to JF_12]
2. No [Go to NOLV_Intro]
Don’t know, Refusal [Go to NOLV_Intro]

JF_12
Universe: JF_11 = 1
Are you paid for the hours that you work at home, or do you just take work home
from the job?
1. Paid
2. Take work home
3. Both
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to JF_13]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

JF_13
Universe: JF_11 = 1
What is the main reason why you work at home?
*Read if necessary: Do you work at home to finish or catch up on work, because your
job requires working at home, to coordinate your work schedule with personal or family
needs, to reduce your commuting time or expense, because it’s your personal
preference, or for some other reason?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

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 – specify
[Go to JF_13_SP]
Don’t know, Refusal

<1-5, Don’t Know, Refusal>

[Go to JF_14]

JF_13_SP
Universe: JF_13 = 6
Question text:
* Specify

[Go to JF_14]

JF_14
Universe: JF_11 = 1
Are there days when you work only at home?
1. Yes [Go to JF_15]
2. No [Go to NOLV_Intro]
Don’t know, Refusal [Go to NOLV_Intro]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

JF_15
Universe: JF_14 = 1
How often do you work only at home?
1. 5 or more days a week
2. 3 to 4 days a week
3. 1 to 2 days a week
4. At least once a week
5. Once every 2 weeks
6. Once a month
7. Less than once a month
Don’t know, Refusal
[Go to NOLV_Intro]

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April 2017

ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

Section 5: Non-use of Leave
The next set of questions collects information about times when workers needed to take leave from
work but could not, the reason(s) for which they needed to take leave but did not, and the reason(s)
why they did not take leave.
NOLV_Intro
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
Question text:
The next few questions are about times when you may have needed to take off from
work but could not.
* Enter 1 to
continue.

[Go to NOLV]

NOLV
Universe: PAID_Intro = 1
Question text:
During the past month, that is from last [fill = ONE MONTH AGO] through yesterday,
were there times when you needed to take off from work but DID NOT?
1. Yes
2. No
Don’t Know/Refusal

[Go to NEEDLV]
[Go to END]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

NEEDLV
Universe: NOLV = 1
Why did you need to take off work?
*Mark all that apply.
*Read if necessary: Did you need time off work for your own illness or medical care,
the illness or medical care of a family member, childcare other than for illness,
eldercare, vacation, errands or personal reasons, or the birth or adoption of a child?
1. Own illness or medical care
2. Illness or medical care of another family member
3. Childcare, other than for illness
4. Eldercare
5. Vacation
6. Errands or personal reasons
7. Birth or adoption of a child
8. Other specify
[Go to NEEDLV_SP]
Don’t Know/Refused
<1-7, Don’t Know/Refusal>

[If PAID=1 or Unpaid = 1, Go to RSNNO,
Otherwise Go to End}

NEEDLV_SP
Universe: NEEDLV = 8
Question text:
* Specify

[If PAID=1 or UNPAID=1 go to RSNNO]

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ATUS 2017 Leave and Job Flexibilities Module Questionnaire

April 2017

RSNNO
Universe: NOLV = 1 and (PAID = 1 or UNPAID=1)
Why did you decide not to take leave?
*Mark all that apply.
*Read if necessary: Did you decide not to take leave because you had too much work,
you wanted to save your leave, leave was denied, you did not have enough leave, you
feared job loss or other negative employment-related consequences, or because you
could not afford the loss of income?
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.

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
[Go to RSNNO_SP]
Other, specify
Don’t Know/Refusal

<1-6, Don’t Know, Refusal>

[Go to END]

RSNNO_SP
Universe: RSNNO = 7
Question text:
* Specify

[Go to END]

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