ESeC Blueprint – an outline classification
The main figures below show how the four basic class positions and the three forms of employment regulation relate to the proposed socio-economic groups and especially the classes of ESeC as discussed here (see Feasibility Report: the conceptual basis of ESeC). The figure does not show all the non-active ESeC socio-economic groups, however. Inactive persons other than the never worked and long-term unemployed would be allocated according to rules discussed later in this section.
Here, first we indicate the possible categories of a potential ESeC for each of its proposed two levels. Secondly, we briefly describe this classification. Third, we look at other possible variants of ESeC (i.e alternative aggregations of the level 1 categories below) that may be derived from it. Fourth, we explain and define the category names in relation to conceptual and operational issues. Finally, we cannot emphasise enough that the classification set out here is only a blueprint. It is an ‘instrument du travail’ in relation to our ultimate objective, not a tablet of stone. It is designed to help us think about the issues as part of the iterative process involved in deriving a final form for what is a complex type of classification.
Possible ESeC ‘Classes’ (Level 1)
- Large employers, higher managerial and professional occupations
- Lower managerial and professional occupations
- Intermediate occupations
- Small employers and own account workers
- Employers and self-employed in agriculture
- Lower supervisory and technical occupations
- Semi-routine occupations
- Basic occupations
- Never worked and long term unemployed
Underlying ESeC ‘Socio-economic Groups’ (Level 2)
Class 1 Large employers, higher managerial and professional occupations
- Employers (other than in agriculture) with 10+ employees
- Farmers with full-time employees (or ‘large business’ farmers)
- Higher managerial occupations
- Higher professional occupations (employees)
- Self-employed professional occupations
Class 2 Lower managerial and professional occupations
- Lower managerial occupations
- Lower professional occupations (employees)
- Self-employed lower professional occupations
- Higher technical occupations (employees)
- Higher technical occupations (self-employed)
- Higher supervisory occupations
Class 3 Intermediate occupations
- Intermediate clerical occupations
- Intermediate technical occupations
- Intermediate sales occupations
- Intermediate service occupations
Class 4 Small employers and own account workers
- Employers with 1-9 employees (excluding agriculture)
- Own account workers (non-professional)
Class 5 Employers and self-employed in agriculture
- Farmers with non-continuous employees (or ‘medium’ sized)
- Own account farmers (or ‘small’)
- Members of agricultural co-operatives
Class 6 Lower supervisory and technical occupations
- Lower supervisory occupations
- Lower technical occupations
Class 7 Semi-Routine occupations
- Semi-Routine technical occupations
- Semi-Routine service occupations
- Semi-Routine sales occupations
- Semi-Routine production/operative occupations
- Semi-Routine agricultural occupations
- Semi-Routine clerical occupations
Class 8 Basic occupations
- Basic technical occupations
- Basic service occupations
- Basic sales occupations
- Basic production/operative occupations
- Basic agricultural occupations
Class 9 Never worked and long term unemployed
- Long term unemployed
- Never worked
Other active groups
- Other unemployed
- Unpaid family workers
- National service
Inactive groups
- Retired
- Students (full-time)
- Children
- Permanently sick and disabled
- Looking after home
Not classifiable
Not classifiable (occupations not given or inadequately described etc.)
The ‘other active’ and ‘inactive’ groups may be (re-) allocated to ESeC classes, via methods we shall explain.
The Conceptual Derivation of the ESeC
Details of the conceptual derivation of ESeC may be found in the Feasibility Report (conceptual basis of ESeC).
A full discussion of this blueprint is available in the Feasibility Report (Section 6, p 29-56).