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This is a glossary of the terms that were used in the Closed Cases survey. The definitions of many
items were borrowed from existing documentation used in various National Longitudinal Surveys. Other concepts were defined with the survey in mind and served as the starting point for explanations to be used in CAPI Help screens and during
interviewer training. The goal was to capture the essence of each term so that an interviewer could read it during an interview and it's meaning would be communicated clearly. Return to Closed Cases Main Page Go to the User's Guide Go to the User's Manual ABAWDS sample The sample drawn from the population of Able Bodied Adults without Dependents who receive or have received public assistance since October of 1997. This population consists primarily of adults living in a household without children. (See OWF sample.) Active Job Search An active job search is one that could have resulted in a job offer without further action on the part of the job seeker. See also Job Searches. Adoptive father or mother The legal parent of a child or children. ADC (now called TANF) Aid to Families with Dependent Children (AFDC)--now called TANF, for Temporary Assistance for Needy Families -- is a federally funded program that provides financial assistance to low-income families with minor children. TANF programs are state or locally administered, so that the specific name of the program and the specific rules governing time limits, payments, and eligibility vary from state to state. Need is based on (1) the incapacity or death of a parent; (2) a parent's continued absence from home; or (3) the unemployment of a parent. Most ADC families have female heads. If a male head is present, however, he is likely to be incapacitated or unemployed. (See also OWF.) Alimony Include any alimony paid or received during the past 12 months as a direct result of a court-ordered divorce settlement. Annuity A specific income payable at stated intervals for a fixed or a contingent period, often for the recipient's life, in consideration of a stipulated premium paid either in prior installment payments or in a single payment. Any Other Sources of Income This is a residual category. Any income that has not been reported should be included in this category. Any and all of the following sources of income should be included:
Items of ownership convertible into cash; total resources of a person or business, as cash, accounts receivable, fixtures, real estate. Associate Degree Usually awarded after 2 or 3 years of college. Note that an associate degree is not ALWAYS awarded after 2 or 3 years of college. Bachelor's Degree Generally awarded after completion of a 4-year college program. Some students take longer than 4 years to obtain this degree. Benefits -- 'Eligible' VS 'Participating' for employer benefits
A business exists when one or more of the following conditions is met:
Arrangements used on a REGULAR basis over the last 6 months. Regular means at least once a week or more for a month. Child Support payments Include all court-ordered payments, whether they are received directly from the absent parent or through some government agency. Children Include natural or adopted children and stepchildren Chronically Ill or Disabled Refers to a physical or mental condition that is present for a long duration. Cancer, an arthritic condition, paralysis, heart condition, and Alzheimer's disease are examples of chronic illnesses. Colds, sore throats, flu, etc. are NOT considered chronic illnesses, even though the respondent may have spent time helping a family member or friend recuperate from such illnesses. Current and Permanent Address The current address is the address where the respondent is staying on the date of the interview. The current address can be temporary or permanent. First you must verify the current address and correct it if necessary. Then, if necessary, you must obtain the temporary and/or permanent address. Debt Something that is owed; something that one person is bound to pay or perform for another. Disabled The respondent has a physical, mental, or other health condition or disability that prevents her from working. This disability is permanent and the respondent does not expect to recover from this disability and return to work at a job or business for more than six months. Emergency Assistance Short term, one-time assistance from a local welfare agency. EMPLOYER – types
See Benefits Family business or farm A business or farm operated by a household member related to the respondent. Family members Include relatives by blood; relatives by marriage (e.g., husband, stepdaughter, brother-in-law); and partners. Family Members' Income "Family Members" income refers to income of household members, other than the respondent and her husband/partner, who are related to the respondent by blood, adoption, or marriage. Working for room and board, or for an allowance, is not counted as pay if the work is done at a family business of farm. Father The natural/biological, step, or adoptive father. Father-in-law The natural/biological or adoptive father of the respondent's husband. Food Stamps Food stamps are coupons that can be used to purchase food. The food stamps program is a joint Federal-State program which is administered by State or local governments. Recipients are certified to be eligible for food stamps and receive food stamps free of charge. Note that more than one person in some households may benefit from the food stamps. However, we are only interested in whether the respondent or her husband/partner are receiving food stamps. Exclude free food, such as cheese, given away by state or local governments. Full-time job A full-time job is defined as working 35 hours per week or more. In some rare instances (such as when government regulations dictate) a full-time job requires less than 35 hours of work per week. GED General Equivalency Diploma, which is obtained by passing a written examination. This is a substitute for a high school diploma. Gift Something given voluntarily without charge; a present. HMO A Health Maintenance Organization offers its members medical benefits such as low premiums in return for limiting the choice of doctors and hospitals that member's can use. When the respondent enrolls in an HMO he or she chooses a Primary Care Physician (PCP). HMO's offer lower premiums than Preferred Provider Organizations (PPO's), while PPO's place fewer restrictions on its members. Hours Worked per Week When calculating hours of work, include hours spent on duty on the job, but do not include lunch periods or other time off. Use whole numbers, counting 30 minutes or more as a whole hour. For wage earners, include hours worked without compensation in connection with their jobs. For example, for a teacher, include time worked at home preparing lessons for the next day. Include the time a person spends at her own business or profession, even if she actually transacted no business. Include hours spent at unpaid work on a farm or in a business or profession operated by a related member of the household. If a respondent has two or more jobs, obtain the hours worked at each job separately. You will verify the total number of hours worked at all jobs after the instrument has calculated a total based on your entries. Household Member A person staying with the respondent at least half the time and who intends to do so for the foreseeable future. For example, a student away at college is a household member if the respondent considers her home as the student's permanent address. Income Earnings from wages, salary, commissions, or tips from all jobs, before deductions for taxes or anything else. (See also Assets.) Incorporated business A taxable entity (such as a corporation, or business) created by a charter that grants the incorporated entity some of the legal rights, etc. of an individual. Inheritance Something that is or may be inherited; any property passing at the owner's death to the heir or those entitled to succeed. Interest and Dividends Interest is money that a respondent receives or has credited to her account. Dividends are interest money paid on stocks and bonds. Interest-earning Assets Some employers invest in assets that earn a fixed rate of interest (in contrast to stocks, which fluctuate with the Stock Market).
Money or capital invested for profitable returns. Job A job exits when there is a definite arrangement for regular work every week, or every month, for pay or other compensation (e.g. profits, anticipated profits, or pay in kind, such as room and board). A formal, definite arrangement with one or more employers to work on a continuing basis for a specified number of hours per week or days per month, but on an irregular schedule during the week or month is also a job. Job searches
An organization that serves as the collective bargaining representative for its members. Not all professional, civic, or fraternal associations qualify as unions. Layoff A person is on layoff if h/she is waiting to be recalled to a job from which he was temporarily separated for business-related reasons such as temporary drops in demand, business downturns, plant remodeling, material shortages, and inventory taking. He or she must have a date to report back to work or, if not given a date, must expect to be recalled to the job within 6 months. Do not consider a person who was not working because of a labor dispute or if on strike at his/her own place of employment. Do not count teachers on summer vacation as being laid off if they are to return to teaching when school begins in the fall. Count these persons as having a job ("With a job but not at work"). Loan Something furnished or given on the condition of being returned, especially a sum of money.
Looking for Work Any effort to get a job or to establish a business or profession is defined as "looking for work." 4 or more days of looking in a week are counted as 1 week of looking for work.
Examples of 'Looking for Work'
The value of a business, property, etc., in terms of what it can be sold for on the open market. Maternity Leave A leave from work that allows mothers to be absent from work without losing their jobs for maternity reasons. Medicaid Medicaid is a government-funded program that provides medical service for low-income people. There is no charge for the coverage nor the services. Several counties offer Medicaid HMO plans for their clients. Medicare This is a federal health insurance program available to persons who are at least 65 years old and who meet other requirements for Social Security benefits. Some persons under age 65 with long-term disabilities may receive Medicare. Medicare, like commercial insurance policies, has a charge for coverage. Persons with Medicare coverage may also receive benefits from Medicaid. Monthly Payment Some pension plans pay out settlements similar to a paycheck; it is sent to the survivor every month. Mortgage A conveyance of property to a creditor as security. Mother-in-law The natural/biological or adoptive mother of the respondent's husband. Multiple jobs, or employers A multiple employer situation exists when the R holds two or more wage or salaried jobs at the same time. This includes the situation where the R is self-employed for one job and works for a salary or wage at another job. A person does NOT have multiple jobs if she or he has more than one client, or more than one employer, but has only 1 job (such as a maid, or a contractor who works on one project in the morning and another in the afternoon). Non-biological children Adopted or step-children, or a partner's child(ren) not related by birth to the respondent. ODJFS (Ohio Department of Job and Family Services) The Ohio Department of Job and Family Services is responsible for administering the federal and state TANF and other public assistance programs. ODHS is the sponsor for this survey. OWF (Ohio Works First) Ohio Works First (OWF) replaced the state's ADC program after passage of the 1996 federal welfare reform act. The OWF program provides cash assistance to needy families with dependent children. Importantly, OWF includes work requirements and places limits on the amount of time a person can receive OWF benefits. OWF sample The sample of respondents whose participation in the OWF program was terminated for at least a month since October 1997 ("leavers"). After their case is closed, it is possible for respondents to have resumed receiving OWF assistance (called "returners"). The OWF population is comprised mainly of single females with children. Odd jobs A job that is done, or work for pay that is performed, from time to time with an unspecified schedule. On-the-job Training Refers to training courses which were related to the respondent's employment and taken during regular working hours while the respondent was being paid for working.
Ancestry, parentage, lineage. Overall Financial Position "Overall financial position" includes such things as assets, debts, income, standard of living, etc. Paid vacation or Leave The respondent's employer provides the respondent with pay for time absent from work for vacation or for other reasons. Part-time job A part-time job is less than 35 hours of work per week. Partly Retired There are several circumstances where a respondent may be partly retired:
Passive Job Search A job search that will not result in a job offer unless the job seeker takes further action. See also Job Searches. Pension Plan An agreement that entitles eligible employees to receive money and certain benefits after retiring from or leaving the employer. Eligibility depends on pre-determined factors such as the number of years employed or the amount of money contributed by the employee. The rules for determining the size of the payments are pre-defined, although the dollar amount is not necessarily predetermined. Does NOT include Social Security retirement payments or benefits. Defined benefit plan (TYPE A). The amount of the benefits usually based on a formula involving age, years of service, and salary. TYPE B. Money is accumulated in a type of savings account until retirement. Examples include thrift savings, 401Ks, profit sharing, and stock purchase plans. Percentage of Income Payment Plan for Utility BillsAllows people to pay a small amount of their utility bills while their income is below a certain amount. Once income rises above a certain level the recipient must pay back the amount of the bills that had been discounted. Periods Not Working for Employer We ask questions to determine if the respondent had periods of time when she was not working for an employer even though she was still employed. This does not include paid vacations or sick leave. Program Participation This refers to whether or not a respondent received assistance from any number of government programs, such as Unemployment Compensation, SSI, or Food Stamps. Proxy Interview An interview with a person other than respondent, but who knows enough about the respondent to answer a few questions. A proxy interview collects information about the respondent's current location and recent work history. Public Housing Living units where rent or construction is subsidized by federal, state, or local funds. People must meet certain income and other criteria in order to receive subsidized housing. Section 8 housing is a type of subsidized housing. Rate of Pay/Earnings The amount of pay received for some defined amount of time -- per hour, per day, per week, annually, etc.
Reasons Not Working Select one reason that the respondent did not work. If more than one reason, probe for the MOST IMPORTANT or MAIN reason. Recipiency (See also "program participation") Refers to the receipt of public assistance, or welfare benefits, such as OWF, TANF, WIC, Food Stamps, unemployment compensation, etc. Regular School Schools that give credit for an academic diploma or degree, such as an elementary school, high school, college, etc. Attending a graduate school, law school, technical program, or a nursing program that provides credit towards a degree or diploma also counts as regular school. Do NOT include training obtained at a technical institute, licensed trade program, etc., unless the credits obtained are transferable to a regular school or the technical institute offers an actual degree program.
Regular shift A work schedule that doesn't change from day to day. The starting and ending times are more or less fixed. (This is the opposite of a rotating shift, or irregular schedule.)
Relationship to the Respondent Enter the relationship of each listed household member to the respondent.
Rental income can be from roomers and boarders, an apartment in the respondent's house or another building, or any other real estate. Retired The respondent has worked at a job or business for a number of years and, upon leaving, met the age and length of service requirements for either regular or early retirement. This is contrasted with the situation where a person stops working because of age or poor health without having met any age or length of service requirement set by her employer. A person may be currently employed, full-time or part-time, and still be retired from one or more previous jobs. Rotating shift The work shift (days, nights, evenings) changes periodically from days to evenings or nights. Savings Accounts Include shares in savings and loan associations or building and loan associations, credit union deposits, savings or checking accounts in commercial banks, etc. Christmas clubs and vacation clubs are also included. Seasonal Jobs Jobs which are seasonal (for example, working at a resort hotel) are treated as separate jobs whenever they occur. The beginning date for this type of job would be the beginning date of the current season's employment. Section 8 housing A type of subsidized housing in which the government pays for a portion of the rent or mortgage. Self-employed Someone who is self-employed works for profit or fee in his/her own business. Does not apply to superintendents, foreman, or managers who manage a business or farm, or to salesman who work for commission. The business does not have to be incorporated for the respondent to be self-employed. Shifts, work shifts A person's scheduled period of work
Social Security is a retirement program funded by employee and employer contributions and augmented by government funds. People are eligible for Social Security payments if they've worked long enough in "covered" employment (that is, jobs where the employee and employer contributed to the SS fund). Social Security payments may also be paid to the spouse or dependent children covered workers.
Social Security payments are not the same as Supplemental Security (SSI) payments. Although both programs are administered by the Social Security Administration, they are different programs. Social Security checks are marked "Soc. Sec (MO)" or "Soc. Sec." Federal SSI checks are labeled "Supplemental Security Income Payment". Social Security Disability Payments Payments made to disabled workers under the Social Security disability insurance program (SSDI). Also includes Black Lung payments to coal miners and disability payments made under the Railroad Retirement Act. Does not include payments from Supplemental Security Income (SSI) or any Social Security benefits other than disability payments. Step-parent (mother/father) If the respondent's parents (or husband's parents) are NOT married to each other, and the respondent's natural/biological or adoptive parent IS married to someone else, this person is the respondent's (or husband's) stepparent. Subsidized Childcare A benefit that an employer offers where either:
The person at work who oversees, manages, directs, or assigns the respondent's tasks at work. This also includes "team leaders" and "department heads". Supplemental Security Income (SSI) Supplemental Security Income (SSI) is a federally-administered program to assist adults with disabilities or over age 65. Even though the Social Security Administration administers most of the SSI program, income from the SSI program is not the same as Social Security. The money for these programs comes from two distinct sources, and if eligible, persons can get SSI in addition to Social Security. About half of the persons receiving SSI payments also receive Social Security. For SSI recipients on Social Security, the amount of the recipient's monthly Social Security benefits will tend to be relatively small. Occasionally, a husband and wife are each eligible to receive SSI payments. In such cases, each will receive separate checks. Unlike Social Security checks, SSI checks are never combined for husbands and wives. Each state may add to the Federal payment from its own funds. This additional money may be included in the Federal payment or it may be received as a separate check. A few states make SSI payments to individuals who do not receive a Federal payment. Supplemental Unemployment Benefits These are benefits paid by some employers to supplement government unemployment benefits during periods of layoff. TANF (Temporary Assistance for Needy Families) The general term for program that provide assistance to families with children. These programs are designed, implemented, and named by the states. The TANF program in Ohio is called Ohio Works First (OWF). Tax-deferred Plans There are probably as many different names for these plans as there are plans. The names listed in the question, "thrift, savings, 401Ks..." are simply the most common names. Temporary employment agency, (temp agency) A business or agency that contracts with other employers to supply workers on a temporary basis. These temporary employees are paid by the temporary agency, not business or workplace where they were temporarily assigned. Temporary Illness Although it is not necessary to probe, if you learn that the illness is expected to last more than 30 days from the time of the interview, enter "Other" and the verbatim responses. Term Insurance A specific kind of financial protection that involves death benefits for a deceased person's survivors. Term insurance is good for a specific period, or "term," that is, the benefit is payable only if the insured dies within that time. The term typically is 1, 5, or 10 years (occasionally as long as 20), often with an option to renew. Premiums are paid throughout this period but are generally raised upon renewal, since the policyholder, now older, represents a greater risk to the insurer. Since the premium for term policies pays only the cost of protection during the stated time, it is generally low and the policy rarely has any value if it is canceled. It thus represents purely protection for the beneficiaries, and not any form of saving. 30-day Charge Accounts Revolving charge accounts such as Visa, MasterCard, Sears, or J. C. Penny's on which payments are due every 30 days. Thrift, Savings Vs. 401K, 403B, SRA The differences between these account plans are subtle, and the respondent may have a difficult time pinpointing their plan type. Generally, if an employer offers a thrift or savings plan, the money is placed into a bank account where it earns interest. For a 401K, 403B, or Supplemental Retirement Account (SRA), the money is more often invested through an insurance company, mortgage institution, etc. Time off for Childcare The respondent's employer allows her to be absent from work without pay for reasons related to the care of her children. Time off for Elder Care Similar to time off for child care, except the reasons are related to care of parents or other older relatives. Total Income The total amount of monies (wages, salary, business income, interest, government payments, etc.) coming into the household. Training Refers to programs, classes, instructional meetings, and directed learning experiences that give participants some skills and experience that is applied on the job or to help in obtaining a job. Training is often obtained at vocational or trade schools, or on-the-job in seminars and classes or by supervisors and coworkers. Other type of training include This includes government training programs, apprenticeships, on-the-job-training, military training, seminars, and correspondence courses. Training does NOT INCLUDE regular schooling, such as high school or college attendance or diplomas. Trust, trust fund A trust is money which is set up for the beneficiary but administered by a third party, usually an attorney or bank. Tuition Reimbursement To make payment of an equivalent to the price of instruction. Type A Pension Plan The amount of the benefits usually based on a formula involving age, years of service, and salary. Type B Pension Plan Money is accumulated in a type of savings account until retirement. Examples include thrift savings, 401Ks, profit sharing, and stock purchase plans. Unable to Work A disability incapacitates the respondent and prevents her from doing any kind of work, not just the type of work at her last job, for up to six months. UNABLE TO WORK is more often a temporary situation.
Unemployment Benefits
Unemployment Compensation Includes amounts received from government unemployment insurance. In most cases these payments are in the form of State Treasury checks. Excludes strike benefits received from union funds and Supplemental Unemployment Benefits (SUB) paid by an employer. Unincorporated business A sole-proprietor or partnership, needing only a business license to operate. Usual Hours The number of hours the respondent works 50% of the time or more, or the most frequently during the past 4 or 5 months. Usual Hours Vs. Actual Hours The question on usual hours worked prompts the respondent to think about the usual or average schedule. The questions on actual hours then prompt the respondent to think about any deviations from that schedule in order to report actual hours worked more accurately for that reference week. This series of questions, first determines if the respondent lost or took off any hours from work. Then, it identifies any extra hours or overtime worked. At this point, the interviewer asks for actual hours. For multiple jobholders, the interviewer asks for actual hours for "main" and "other" jobs separately.
Note: It is possible for a respondent who worked during the reference week to not usually work. In such cases, her usual hours are zero. For example, a retired person worked 20 hours in a friend's business during the reference week, but usually does not work. Her usual hours are zero (0) and actual hours are twenty (20). Usually "Usually" means 50% of the time or more, or the most frequent schedule during the past 4 or 5 months. Variety of Employers This is a term used to summarize the employment history of a self-employed respondent who performs the same task or provides a similar service for a number of different clients (or customers) within the same month. For example, a self-employed contractor, or maid, performs the same service for a number of different clients, and is paid separately by each. Veterans' Benefits Veterans' benefits include hospital and/or medical care that is provided to an individual based on his/her military service. Veteran's Compensation or Pension Include money received as periodic benefits paid to disabled former members of the Armed Forces by the Veterans Administration for a service-connected disability. Exclude veteran's pension paid to the survivor of a veteran and compensation paid to the survivor of a veteran. Whole Life Insurance Insurance providing death protection for the insured's lifetime. It can guarantee a specific amount of money payable to a beneficiary, no matter when the insured dies. It remains in force, regardless of any future health impairment, for as long as timely premium payments are made. Worker's Compensation Worker's compensation consists of lump sum or periodic payments to employees injured in connection with their jobs. The payments may come from private insurance carries, State funds, and self-insured employees under Federal and State worker's compensation laws. If the payments come from the insurance company, the insurance must have been paid by the employer, not the employee. Working Refers to working for pay at a job, running one's own business (whether incorporated or not), or working without pay in the family business or farm (a family-owned business or farm operated by a related household member). Working WITHOUT PAY in a Family Business or Farm Working on a farm or in a business operated by a related member of the household, without receiving wages or salary for work performed. Room and board and a cash allowance are not considered pay for these family workers. WIC Women, Infants, and Children (WIC) is a federal assistance program designed to provide supplemental dietary products such as milk, butter, peanut butter, and orange juice to pregnant women, nursing mothers, and children. Year-Round work Work that does not depend on the season.
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