Statistical processing

Source data

The source of the statistics is the eIncome Register of Statistics Denmark combined with data from the Business Register and the Population Register of Statistics Denmark. The eIncome Register of Statistics Denmark is based on income information reported to the eIncome Register of the Ministry of Taxation.

Frequency of data collection

According to Act on an Income Register employers have to report wages paid at least once a month. Reports are transmitted from the Danish Ministry of Taxation on a daily basis.

Data collection

According to Act on an Income Register employers have to report wages paid at least once a month. Reports are transmitted from the Danish Customs and Tax Administration (the Ministry of Taxation, before July 1st 2018 named SKAT) on a daily basis.

Data validation

Employment statistics for employees is checked for errors at the macro level and corrected at the micro level (top-down). Errors are prioritized that affect the statistics most, implying that the statistics is selectively debugged. All corrections are recorded but the numbers have not been calculated. The most significant errors are placement of employees at an incorrect establishment and erroneous industry and sector information which affects the uncertainty as to the sectoral distribution of full-time employees (or number of persons with employee jobs) at the detailed level. When errors are detected and corrected in Employee Statistics, Statistics Denmark's Business Register is informed so that corrections can be made in the Business Register as well. Corrections made from one version to the next of Statistics Denmark's eIncome Register are recorded but the total number has not been calculated.

Data compilation

Employment statistics of Employees is based on Statistics Denmark's eIncome Register. In case that there is no reported hours paid for, or the data is considered invalid or improbable, imputation on paid hours is made. Using Statistics Denmark's Business Register the workplace is verified and the job is connected to the workplace.

Calculated enumeration factors adjust for the fact that not all jobs have been reported to the eIncome Register for the latest reference period. There is one factor for each concept, i.e. different enumeration factors for the number of full-time employees and number of persons with employee job. The enumeration factors are broken down by industry and sector.

Adjustment

Number of persons with employee job are calculated. All employees are included regardless of whether they work full or part time. Also, employees who have employee job as a side job to a main job as entrepreneur are included. Finally, employees who have residence outside the country are included in the calculation. A person who only has an employee job part of the month, is only included in the relevant part of the month. Employees who for up to 45 days have not received wages, but subsequently returned to the same employer, are included in the period without pay.

Reporting of hours of paid work: In case of a lack of reported number of hours paid for, or the reports are considered invalid or improbable, a calculation of these are made. The calculated paid hours of work in 2008 amounted to approximately 15 per cent of the total number of hours paid for, but is now usually less than 5 per cent. The percentage varies according to industry and sector.

Reporting of production unit number: Employers who have more than one production unit must specify the production unit where the employee is assigned. However, there are a number of employers, particularly in the public sector whose information are deficient in this area. Using Statistics Denmark's Business Register the missing or erroneous production unit is replaced with a more valid one. A number of employees work on changing locations or do not work at one of the company's units at all (e.g. temporary workers, cleaners, sales assistants and home helps). It is associated with uncertainty to identify these groups and to place the job geographically. Where it is not possible to place a job geographically it is normally placed in nearby the employee's place of residence.

Seasonal adjustment: Employment statistics for employees is seasonally adjusted indirectly by sector and 19 industries. Seasonally adjustment is made on a monthly basis in SAS / Demetra. The seasonal adjustment is based on time series from January 2008.

Review and update of the seasonal adjustment models – September 2023: The seasonal correction models for the employment statistics for employees have been reviewed and updated in September 2023 with the publication of July 2023 and the 2nd quarter of 2023 with the publication of July 2023 and the second quarter of 2023. It is common practice in Statistics Denmark that seasonal corrections for time series are reviewed and quality assured approx. every two years to ensure that any changes in seasonal patterns are incorporated into the seasonal correction. The update of the seasonal adjustment includes both the time series calculated in number of employees (persons) and in full-time employees, and includes both monthly and quarterly figures. The update has only resulted in small adjustments in the seasonally adjusted series. The seasonally adjusted series for the period 2008 to 2019 have been frozen, so that the seasonally adjusted values up to and including December 2019 are not revised in future publications. In future publications, the seasonally adjusted figures will be revised for the current year and the three previous years.