Title of the survey
The title of the survey is given in the original language or in the language used in official correspondence between the country and the ILO, with, if necessary, its English translation.
Organization(s) responsible
This heading refers to the organization(s) responsible for data collection, statistical processing and publication of the results.

Periodicity of the survey
This heading refers to the frequency with which the survey is conducted (e.g. monthly, quarterly, half yearly, once a year) as well as what months the survey is carried out if on a continuing basis and what year the survey started in the respective country.
Industry coverage
This indicates the economic activities covered by the survey, and, in cases where the coverage is limited, which groups of industries or activities are included or excluded.
Size coverage
Information is provided on the size of establishments covered by the survey (e.g. all types and sizes of establishments or enterprises, those above a specified size of employment).
Geographical coverage
This specifies whether the survey covers the whole country or territory and, in cases where the coverage is limited, the relevant cities, areas or regions which are included or excluded.
Worker coverage
This provides the categories of workers covered, such as all persons in the payroll, only paid employees, all persons engaged, and the groups which are included or excluded, if any (e.g. pieceworkers, part time employees, seconded employees, foreign employees, etc.).
Institutional sector coverage
This indicates what types of establishments are covered in the survey (e.g. private sector, public sector, unincorporated, non-profit, etc.).

Employment
The operational definition of employment is given here and whether it relates to the total number of workers or the average number of workers during a specific day, month, quarter, etc. The categories of workers covered and separately identified are provided, and information is given on the types of workers included and excluded.
Earnings
Information is provided on the national definition and components of earnings used in the survey, whether they refer to gross or net earnings, and whether the components are separately identified. This heading also indicates whether the earnings data cover the same categories of employees as the employment data, and the reference period.
Wage rates
Where relevant, this indicates the time unit and components of wage rates, and whether they refer to minimum rates or wage rates actually paid. This heading also indicates whether the data cover the same categories of workers as the employment data and the reference period.
Compensation of employees or Labour cost
This heading provides information on the definition of compensation of employees or labour cost and its components, the worker coverage and the reference period.
Contractual/Normal hours of work
This indicates whether the survey covers contractual/normal hours of work and provides whether this concept relates to laws or regulations, collective agreements, establishments’ internal regulations or some other concept. It also indicates the time unit the information is requested, reference period and worker coverage.
Hours paid for
Where relevant, this heading provides information on the components of hours paid for, the categories of workers covered by the data, the time unit information is obtained in and the reference period.
Hours actually worked
This indicates whether the survey covers hours actually worked and the components of it. It also specifies whether the data cover the same categories of workers as wages, the reference period and the time unit information is obtained in. Furthermore, it is indicated whether absence from work and overtime are measured separately.
Other topics
Under this heading, it is indicated whether labour turnover is measured and if so, what components are included in the definition as well as the reference period and worker coverage. In addition, it provides information on whether vacancies are measured in the survey and if so, the definition of vacancies.  

Establishment size
Information is provided on the establishment size categories used to group establishments.
Industry
This indicates the name of the industrial classification used, and whenever possible, the number of groups used for coding the data; whether computer assisted/automatic coding is used; and whether the national classification is linked to the International Standard Industrial Classification of all economic activities (ISIC), either Rev.2, Rev.3 / 3.1 or Rev.4.
Occupational
This heading specifies the name of the national occupational classification used, and whenever possible, the number of groups used for coding the data; whether computer assisted or automatic coding is used; and whether the national classification is linked to the International Standard Classification of Occupations (ISCO), either ISCO-68, ISCO-88 or ISCO-08.
Labour cost components
This indicates whether the classification of labour cost components is the International Classification of Labour Cost and if not, what the most important differences between the national classification and the international classification are.
Other classification
This indicates whether other classifications such as geographical regions, legal status of the establishment, etc. are used.

Number of questionnaires
This indicates whether one or more questionnaires are used and if more, for what types of economic units.
Unit(s) of observation
This heading provides the definition of the unit(s) of observation (e.g. establishment as whole, occupations within the establishment, each individual worker in the establishment or sample of workers in the establishment).
Disaggregation
This indicates whether employment, wages concepts or working time concepts are disaggregated (e.g. by sex, age group, education level, occupation, etc.).
Wage components
This heading specifies whether information is obtained separately for various concepts such as payments in kind, cost of living allowances, family allowances, etc.

Sampling unit
This section provides the definition of the sampling unit (e.g. establishment, enterprise, employee).
Sample frame
This heading describes the sample frame of the survey (business register, employee or population register, area frame).
Sources of information
This indicates the sources of information used to construct the register (economic, industrial, establishment censuses; agricultural censuses; registers kept by the government; records of workers or employer’s associations; filed operations; etc.).
Frame coverage
This indicates the percentage of all paid employees and/or economic units covered by the sample frame.
Updating frequency
This provides the frequency with which the sample frame is updated (every month, every year, continually, not updated with a specific frequency, never updated).
Type of sample
This indicates whether the survey is based on a complete enumeration of all units, or whether sampling is used. In the latter case, information is provided on the type of sampling used (e.g. random or purposive sample).
Type of sample
If sampling is used, the stratification method is indicated (by region/location, by industry, by public and private sector, by size, etc.) in this section.
Sample error
If the relative standard error of estimates is calculated, the typical or latest available standard error is indicated for each concept. Information is also provided on the computation of the sampling variance, where relevant.
Sample size
The number of economic units and/or workers in the final sample (or an estimate of the relative size) is indicated.

Method(s) of data collection
This refers to the method(s) of data collection (personal interview, telephone interview, mail, online/web based questionnaire, etc.) and, where possible, provides information on whether the personal or telephone interviews are computer assisted interviews.
Substitution of units
This indicates whether sampling units are replaced (in case of non-response or in other cases) and, if so, the procedure used.
Non-response rate
This provides the typical or latest percentage of all units in the final sample that are not interviewed or did not respond.  
Timeliness
It provides the number of days or months between the reference period and the release of the results in days or months.

Estimation procedures
Where the statistics are in the form of official estimates, this section provides information on the procedures of estimation.
Types of indicators produced
Information is provided on the types of indicators that are produced (e.g. totals, averages, medians, deciles, etc.), the time units referred to and the method of computation. This section also indicates whether wage indexes are used (and if so, how these are constructed) and whether the indicators are calculated for all workers covered.
Links to LABORSTA series
This section provides the information of whether statistics from the survey are presented in LABORSTA series and if so, which one. It is also indicated whether the same coverage is used and the same definitions are followed.

Main changes in the survey since 1990
This section provides information on the historical background of the survey, particularly on main changes in the survey since 1990 that have led to breaks in the series, e.g. the date of the start, the date and nature of major changes and revisions that have occurred (e.g. in sample design, questionnaire design, periodicity, definitions, coverage, classifications) and, where relevant, the changes that are envisaged for the next two to three years.
Additional comments on the survey
This section provides the opportunity to indicate any additional comments concerning the methodology of the survey.