This document summarizes longitudinal panel sample sizes and weighting steps for a labor force survey conducted in 2012 and 2013. It provides sample sizes for households and responding individuals in initial and follow-up waves. It also describes non-response rates, attrition by household characteristics, population estimates by age and sex, and changes in employment statuses over time using longitudinal weights versus standard cross-sectional weights. The document concludes with open questions about balancing priorities like consistency, non-response adjustment, and representativeness at different stages of the longitudinal weighting process.

1. An example of
longitudinal
LFS weights
Katja.Rutar@gov.si
Division for general
methodology and standards

2. LFS panel sample sizes (number of households)
for the years 2012 and 2013

3. Data collection
• First wave – CAPI
• Repeated waves – (predominantly) CATI
• Nonresponding households from previous quarters are
not included in the panel sample
• Response rate: in first wave – 66%;
in repeated waves – 83%
• Average households size for responding households ~
2,75 members

4. Number of responding individuals

5. Number of responding individuals – 15 years +

6. Non-response distribution of the longitudinal sample –
3rd
to 4th
quarter 2013
2012Q3 / 2012Q4 Households % 2nd
wave 3rd
wave 5th
wave
Sample 3769 1641 1252 876
Ineligible 3 0,1% 0,1% 0,1% 0,0%
Response 3135 83,2% 77,2% 85,0% 91,8%
Nonresponse 631 16,8% 22,7% 14,9% 8,2%
- Refusals 425 67,4% 65,6% 71,7% 65,3%
- Noncontacts 84 13,3% 14,8% 11,2% 11,1%
- Other 122 19,3% 19,6% 17,1% 23,6%

7. Attrition by selected relevant characteristics of the
household (completion rate)

8. Weighting steps
• Cross-sectional design weights (on strata and wave level)
• Cross-sectional non-response weghts (on strata and wave level)
• Longitudinal non-response wave (on strata level, to response statuses at
the final quarter)
• Grossing up to population total (wave level)
• Calibration to demographic data (all data together, to first quarter situation)
• Calibration to main employment statuses (all data together, to first quarter
situation)
+ Calibration to demographic data (all data together, to first quarter situation)
+ Calibration to main employment statuses (all data together, to first quarter
situation)

9. Longitudinal population Q – Q
(July 1st
2013 vs. Oct 1st
2013)
3th quarter 2013 3th and 4th quarter 2013 4th quarter 2013
Male Female Male Female Male Female
0 - 14 years 153.993 145.295 153.678 144.998 154.432 145.840
15 - 64 years 721.773 682.194 718.959 680.540 720.853 681.283
65 years + 143.892 211.967 142.177 209.948 145.170 213.085
Total 1.019.658 1.039.456 1.014.814 1.035.486 1.020.455 1.040.208
2.059.114 2.050.300 2.060.663

10. Longitudinal population Y – Y
(Oct 1st
2012 vs. Oct 1st
2013)
4th quarter 2012 4h quarter 2012 and 2013 4th quarter 2013
Male Female Male Female Male Female
0 - 14 years 152.786 144.173 151.971 143.441 154.432 145.840
15 - 64 years 724.926 685.520 715.330 679.943 720.853 681.283
65 years + 140.765 209.953 133.570 200.967 145.170 213.085
Total 1.018.477 1.039.646 1.000.871 1.024.351 1.020.455 1.040.208
2.058.123 2.025.222 2.060.663

11. Basic descriptive statistics for the Q – Q longitudinal weight,
compared to standard quarterly weight, 3rd
quarter 2013
n mean stddev min q1 q3 max population
W_LONG13q3 8.534 241,28 165,47 14,28 139,87 290,16 1.675,99 2.059.114
W_CROS13q3 15.486 132,97 90,25 10,79 76,44 159,86 1.100,41 2.059.114

12. Changes in main employment statuses for the cohort,
interviewed in 3rd
and 4th
quarter 2013
– using longitudinal weight
2013Q3 / 2013Q4 Unemloyed Employed Inactive Population under 15
in 1000 % in 1000 % in 1000 % in 1000 %
Unemployed 48 50 22 23 26 27
Employed 13 1 865 94 45 5
Inactive 21 3 45 6 677 91
Population under 15 4 1 294 99

13. Changes in main employment statuses for the cohort,
interviewed in 3rd
and 4th
quarter 2013
– using longitudinal weight
Employed
922
Inactive
741
Uneemployed
96
45
22
4513
26
21
82 vs. 97 752 vs. 753
932 vs. 910

14. Relative standard errors for estimates of changes in main
employment statuses for the cohort, interviewed in 3rd
and
4th
quarter 2013 – using longitudilan weight
2013Q3 / 2013Q4 Unemployed Employed Inactive Population under 15
CV % % % %
Unemployed 6 12 10
Employed 15 1 9
Inactive 13 8 1
Population under 15 23 2

15. Changes in main employment statuses for the cohort,
interviewed in 3rd
and 4th
quarter 2013
– unweighted estimates
2013Q3 / 2013Q4 Unemloyed Employed Inactive Population under 15
% % % %
Unemployed 51
2
1 28
Employed 1
9
3 5
Inactive 3 7 91
Population under 15 2 98

16. Y - Y

17. Basic descriptive statistics for the Y – Y longitudinal weight,
compared to standard quarterly weight, 4rd
quarter 2012
n mean stddev min q1 q3 max population
W_LONG12q4 4.492 457,76 323,66 41,07 251,14 561,56 3.798,98 2.056.262
W_CROS12q4 14.407 142,73 98,09 15,65 81,96 170,59 1.225,36 2.056.262

18. Changes in main employment statuses for the cohort,
interviewed in 4th
quarter 2012 and 2013
– using longitudinal weight
2012Q4 / 2013Q4 Unemloyed Employed Inactive Population under 15
in 1000 % in 1000 % in 1000 % in 1000 %
Unemployed 38 39 35 36 24 25
Employed 25 3 841 91 56 6
Inactive 27 4 68 9 645 87
Population under 15 2 1 19 7 274 93

19. Relative standard errors for estimates of changes in main
employment statuses for the cohort, interviewed in 4th
quarter 2012 and 2013 – using longitudilan weight
2012Q4 / 2013Q4 Unemployed Employed Inactive Population under 15
CV % % % %
Unemployed 9 13 11
Employed 15 2 11
Inactive 14 9 2
Population under 15 88 16 2

20. Changes in main employment statuses for the cohort,
interviewed in 4th
quarter 2012 and 2013
– unweighted estimates
2012Q4 / 2013Q4 Unemloyed Employed Inactive Population under 15
% % % %
Unemployed 42
3
3 25
Employed 3
9
1 6
Inactive 3 9 88
Population under 15 7 93

21. Conclusions & Open questions
• There are many possibilities to calculate
longitudinal weights.
• At each separate stage of weighting process
some assumptions have to be taken.
• Should we give priority to consistency of
employment statuses, nonresponse adjustment,
demographic distribution, at which point of time?