National statistical institute

REPUBLIC OF BULGARIA NATIONAL STATISTICAL INSTITUTE

1038 Sofia, 2 P. Volov Str. tel.: (+359 2) 9857 700, fax: (+359 2) 9857 640, e-sgn: register@nsi.bg, e-mail: nsi@nsi.bg

(Project leader: Svetlana Ganeva (sganeva@nsi.bg), Statistical Infrastructure Department, NSI)

Introduction

In the work were involved experts from the National Statistical Institute and Ministry of Labour and Social Policy.

The main results of the activities are described in the present report containing:

1. 
   Use of National classification of occupations and duties in governance of the employment, labour market, social security and protection, social activities
   
2. 
   Use of National classification of occupations and duties in statistical surveys, carried out by the National Statistical Institute
   
3. 
   Some of the problems encountered during the coding and providing the occupational data in the Labour Force Survey and in the Structure of Earnings Survey
   
4. 
   Problems concerning the peculiarities in National classification of occupations and duties in comparison with the ISCO-88.
   
5. 
   ISCO 88 and ISCO 08
   
6. 
   Implementation of the ESeC using data from Labour Force Survey 2007 and from Structure of Earnings Survey 2002 and 2006.
   
7. 
   Further activities
   

The National Classification of Occupations and Duties (NCOD-2005) is used in governance of the employment, labour market, social, security and protection, social activities as follows:

For the purposes of the social security system the following registers are conducted for the insured persons:

• 
  Register of the insured persons collecting data about the person’s occupation coded at 1-digit level (major group) of NCOD-2005. This information is submitted by the employer on monthly basis;
  
• 
  Register of the labour contracts collecting data about the person’s occupation coded at 8-digit level (duty) within the Unit group of NCOD-2005. Within three days from the conclusion or modification of an employment contract and within seven days from its termination, the employer or an individual thereby authorized is obligated to send a notification thereof to the respective regional offices of the National Revenue Agency. The Duties that are registered shall be corresponding to the approved jobs schedule within the enterprise;
  
• 
  Register of the accidents in work and occupational diseases collecting data about the person’s occupation coded at 8-digit level (duty) within the Unit group of NCOD-2005. The employer or an individual thereby authorized is obligated to send information thereof to the respective regional offices of the National Social Security Institute within three days from the accident of work..
  

Job-seekers shall be registered by the job mediator within a registration file, consisting information about the previous duties carried out coded at 8-digit level within the Unit group of NCOD-2005.

Employers that want to make use of the Labour offices’ intermediation in hiring unemployed persons may submit an application for their vacancies by entering job information coded at 8-digit level (duty) within the Unit group of NCOD-2005. This information is being further generalized on monthly and/or yearly for the purposes of the state policy in the field of employment.

The comprehensive list of occupations and duties as coded in NCOD-2005 is used within the Employment Agency’s web page where an “E-labour exchange” is organized. Thus the Employment Agency provides information on profiles of job-seekers registered at the Labour Offices Directorates so that employers can find the labour force needed by themselves. On the other hand Employment Agency benefits from the e-labour exchange by getting actual information on employer’s needs for qualified personnel. In accordance to those necessities Employment Agency can organize short run vocational training courses. During the e-labour exchange each employer is given the horizon of 3 to 12 months to set up its own future needs of qualified labour force.

The training for acquiring qualification is implemented under professions and specialties included in the List of Professions for Vocational Education and Training. The List is approved by the Minister of education and science after consultation with the Minister of labour and social policy and other respective ministers as well as with the social partners on national level. The List provides correspondence between the training for acquiring of vocation and a number of NCOD-2005 Unit Groups where the successful trainees can find realization. This information is coded at 4-digit level within the Unit group of NCOD-2005.

The same correspondence can be found in the State Educational Requirements for acquiring vocational qualification.
Unified Classification of Duties in the Administration (UCDA)

NCOD-2005 fully comprises the UCDA which is used within the state and municipality administrations. According to the Regulation for the Implementation of UCDA it is compulsory that jobs schedule indicates duties of NCOD-2005 coded at 8-digit level within the Unit group (Duty ).

When jobs schedule is being developed by an employer or an individual thereby authorized the positions used must be coded at 8-digit level (duty) within the Unit group of NCOD-2005 after an analysis of the job substance and complexity is done. The functions, tasks and the educational and qualification requirements for the occupation as stated in the job description should be taken into account.

The National Classification of Occupations (NCO) is used in the following surveys, carried out by the National Statistical Institute:

The National Classification of Occupation - 1996 is used. Data were coded at 4-digit level (unit group)..

Data at national and regional level by occupations were published in specialised publications with the Population Census results at 3-digit (minor group) level of NCO.

Data by occupations were sent to Eurostat at 3 digit (minor group) level of ISCO-88.

The Labour force survey has been carried out since 1993.

The National Classification of Occupation (version 1996) was used from 1997 to 2005, and the National Classification of Occupation and Duties (2005) has been used since 2006.

Data on occupation are collected and coded at 4 digit level for:

• 
  Main current job (for employed persons);
  
• 
  Last job (for persons not in employment during the reference period).
  

Quarterly micro-data from the Labour Force Survey are transmitted to Eurostat at 3-digit level of ISCO-88(COM).

The National Classification of Occupation has been used since 1996.

Aggregated data on employment and wages by occupational classes (1- digit level) are collected from the enterprise.

Data on employment by occupational classes are published in Statistical Yearbook and publication “Bulgaria – Social Economic Development”.

Annual data on number of employees and average annual wages by occupational classes (1- digit level) are transmitted to Eurostat.

 Structure of Earnings Survey

The Structure of Earnings Survey (SES) is four-yearly survey. The objective of this survey is to provide detailed and comparable at European Union level information on distribution and relationships between the level of remuneration, individual characteristics of employees and these of their employer.

National Classification of Occupation were used in 2002 (1996 version of NCO) and in 2006 surveys.

Data are collected from the enterprise but refer to individuals. In 2002 survey data were coded at 4-digit level of NCO-1996, but 3-digit codes were also accepted. In 2006 survey 4-digit codes by NCO-1996 or 8-digit codes by NCOD-2005 were required. The 2006 was a transition period for the enterprises to move to the revised classification.

SES 2002 occupational data are published at 1-st digit level in the specialized publication "Structure of Earning Survey 2002” and on the NSI website.

SES micro-data are transmitted to Eurostat coded at 3-digit level of ISCO-88 (COM).

National Classification of Occupations – 1996 was used up to 2004 and since 2006 - National Classification of Occupations and Duties – 2005. (Data on occupations are coded at 2-digit level).

Data by occupation are not published and not delivered to Eurostat.
Time use survey

The survey was carried out in 2001. National Classification of Occupation (Version 1996) was used. Data were coded and provided to Eurostat at 3-digit level of NCO (1996). No data by occupations were published.

The survey was carried out in 2007. Data were coded at 3-digit level of National Classification of Occupations and Duties - 2005.

AES was carried out in 2007. National Classification of Occupations and Duties – 2005 was used according to the Eurostat requirements for coding of the following variables:

• 
  Occupation at the main job – at 2-digit level (for employed);
  
• 
  Occupation one year before the survey – at 2-digit level (everybody);
  
• 
  Main occupation of father when the interviewee was between the ages of 12 and 16 - at 1-digit level (everybody);
  
• 
  Main occupation of mother when the interviewee was between the ages of 12 and 16 - at 1-digit level (everybody).
  

EU SILC was carried out for the first time in 2006. National Classification of Occupations and Duties – 2005 is used for coding of current occupation of employed and for the last job of persons have worked. Data are coded at 4-digit level.

Data by occupation are not published.

Data on occupations are delivered to Eurostat at 2-digit level.

Multitopic Household Survey was carried out in 2003. National Classification of Occupations – 1996 was used for coding of occupation at 4-digit level.

Data by occupation are not published.
Information and Communication Technologies Usage by households and individuals Survey (ICT Usage by households and individuals)

National Classification of Occupations and Duties – 2005, was used in 2007 in the ICT Usage by households and individuals survey for coding of occupation of employed persons. Coding was done according to the Eurostat requirements - at 3-digit level and at 4-digit level only for some ICT specialists. In the same way data are delivered to Eurostat.

Data by occupation are not published.
Implementation of the European Core Health Interview Survey

In 2006 pilot survey was carried out under the 2003 PHARE Multi-beneficiary Statistical Co-operation Programme. National Classification of Occupations and Duties – 2005 was used for coding of occupation of employed persons and for occupation on the last job.

Data on occupations are coded at 2-digit level. In the same way data are delivered to Eurostat.
3. SOME OF THE PROBLEMS ENCOUNTERED DURING THE CODING AND PROVIDING THE OCCUPATIONAL DATA IN THE LABOUR FORCE SURVEY AND IN THE STRUCTURE OF EARNINGS SURVEY
People who have their own business

It is not very clear from the explanatory notes how to code the occupation of persons who have their own business, but do not employ any employees (or only one or two employees) and who run the business solely or together with few members (non-paid) of his family.

Difficulties exist for coding of managerial staff, in particular occupations belongs to sub-major groups 12 and 13. In the terms of the NCOD the difference between 12 and 13 sub-major groups is in the size of the organization, but it is not defined correctly in the explanatory notes of the classifications.