Institutional Changes and their Impact on Employment Figures

The official statistical figures for the dependently employed in Austria are based on data provided by the Main Association of Austrian Security Institutions which specify the number of employment relationships that exceed the marginal earnings threshold. This method has several advantages such as its monthly periodicity, currency (figures are updated immediately following the end of each month) and its design as a full census. The definition for "employment" is derived from actuarial aspects reflecting the responsibilities of the Main Association of Austrian Security Institutions. As a result, non-actively employed persons are included in the statistics as being "employed". If such groups undergo a dimensional change due to institutional changes, the result is a distorted depiction of actual demand for labour.