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Accuracy and reliability

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Labour Market, Social Statistics
Mikkel Zimmermann
+45 51 44 98 37

MZI@dst.dk

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Parental leave benefits

The statistics summarize the reports of birth or adoption that have triggered the payment of due to maternity leave. The expectation is that all cases are reported. However, there are a number of cases that will only be reported long after the end of the year to which the case relates, why the last year is not fully updated. In order to get a picture of a parent's year's use of the maternity law, it has been necessary to link several registers and set up an algorithm for calculating the parents' entitlement. There is a risk of programming errors here, just as the algorithm rules are a choice.

Overall accuracy

The statistics are based on records of cash disbursements. Administrative data involving the disbursement of money will usually be reliable and those parts of the data base must therefore be considered as very solid.

Regarding parental leave, it should be noted that some men do not take parental leave even if they could. A parental leave of zero days does not trigger unemployment benefits and is not reported to the register, but from an equality point of view such zero parental leaves should be included in the inventories. For those tables where zero childbirth overlaps are included, this is an algorithmic calculation based on other data sources. The rules of the algorithm will affect the results of the statistics. No calculations have been made on how much a change in the algorithm rules would affect, for example, the average number of days on maternity leave.

Furthermore, experience shows that the number of full-time persons in the register for the last year is about 1 percent too low the first time a year is published.

Sampling error

Not relevant for these statistics.

Non-sampling error

A statistic that has an administrative data source is dependent on

  1. The practice that has arisen in connection with the building of the administrative organization
    and culture together with the attached IT system.

  2. The programs and the business logic the data supplier provides.

Examples of uncertainties related to 1):
- Reports come in very late compared to the time period the reports cover.

Examples of uncertainties related to 2):
- One year to date data delivery can be wrong initiated, so it still is not all reports that are delivered to Statistics Denmark.

Such errors are counteracted by volume control over time.

Quality management

Statistics Denmark follows the recommendations on the organisation and management of quality set out in the Code of Practice for European Statistics and the accompanying implementation model, the Quality Assurance Framework. Read more about these on the page Quality in official statistics.

Quality management is supported by common principles, guidelines and managerial responsibility for quality in statistical products and processes. The aim is to ensure a systematic and consistent approach to quality across the entire statistical production.

Quality assurance

Quality assurance at Statistics Denmark is integrated into the statistical production processes and is carried out in accordance with the principles of the Code of Practice for European Statistics. Read more on the page Quality in official statistics.

Quality assurance includes the continuous use of standardised procedures, documentation in line with international standards and internal controls related to data collection, data processing and dissemination. Experience gained from production is continuously used to identify needs for adjustments and improvements.

Quality assessment

As the statistics can be compared with older statements from previous administrative systems, there is some control that the overall results look "correct". The quality of the statistics at the overall level must therefore be considered good

Data revision - policy

Statistics Denmark revises published figures in accordance with the Revision Policy for Statistics Denmark. The common procedures and principles of the Revision Policy are for some statistics supplemented by a specific revision practice.

Data revision practice

There are some delays in reporting absences on daily benefits due to childbirth. For this reason, the annual statistics are published in March-April, so that Statistics Denmark can include some of the delayed reports in the annual run. The latest year is recalculated one year after the first publication, after which the figures typical are considered final. In case of table changes, the tables are recalculated for all years.