Goal 5 - Gender equality

Data come from a sample survey: Labour Force Survey (LFS). The survey is conducted on a quarterly basis, using the continuous observation method (movable survey week) what allows presenting the situation on the labour market during a whole quarter. The survey covers persons aged 15-89, who are members of households in dwellings selected on a random basis.

The scope of the survey does not include household members staying (the total actual and planned stay is taken into account) 12 months or more abroad and in collective households (such as: employee hotels, student dormitories, boarding houses, social care centres etc.) and the homeless.

In the context of economic activity - work is the main criterion in dividing the population, i.e. performing, holding or seeking work. According to the international standards, the three main categories are distinguished: employed, unemployed and economically inactive persons. The employed, unemployed are the economically active population.

The employment rate is the share of employed in a given category in the total population of the same category.

Among the employed are included all persons aged 15-89 who during the reference week:

1. performed for at least one hour any work generating pay or income, i.e. were employed in a company/public institution or by a private employer, worked on their own (or leased) agricultural farm, or conducted their own economic activity outside agriculture, assisted (without pay) in conducting family agricultural farm or family economic activity outside agriculture,

2. had work but did not perform it:

• due to illness or holiday leave, leave related to parenthood (maternity, childcare, paternity or parental leave), organisation of working time (work system or overtime collection), training related to the performed work

• due to the seasonal character of the work, if they still regularly performed off-season their work or business conducting related tasks and responsibilities (excluding legal or administrative obligations)

• for other reasons, if the anticipated break in employment did not exceed 3 months

According to international standards, among employees are also included persons performing outwork and apprentices with whom enterprises or natural persons signed a contract for occupational training or learning skills for a particular job (if they receive a payment).

The employed do not include: volunteers and interns who do not receive remuneration, people working in private engaged in the production of agricultural products solely or mainly for their own needs.

From 2023 onwards, data on Poland's resident population living in dwellings, derived from balance sheets compiled on the basis of Census 2021 results, were used to generalise the LFS results to the general population. Data for 2021-2022 were compiled according to the new basis of generalisation. Due to the changes introduced, the LFS results are not fully comparable with the survey results for the years prior to 2021.

In addition, the lack of comparability of the data time series is also affected by methodological changes introduced to the LFS from Q1 2021. Data for 2010-2020 have been recalculated and presented taking into account the new methodology. These recalculations do not take into account the change in the basis for generalising data to balances based on the Census 2021.