Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic

800-Business statistics section

Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic, Miletičova 3, 824 67 Bratislava

The variables collected in monthly surveys:

-       Number of employees;

-       Wages and salaries.

The variables collected in quarterly survey:

-       Number of employees;

-       Hours worked.

Number of sole proprietors-physical persons in Trade register.

On the base of above mentioned information the estimation of number of persons employed is realized.

Variable wages and salaries is reported in EUR.

Odvetvová klasifikácia ekonomických cinností (SK NACE Rev. 2) - Branch classification of economic activities – NACE rev.2.

Klasifikácia štatistických územných jednotiek- Nomenclature of Territorial Units for Statistics– NUTS 2010.

Activities covered

Enterprises with principal activity in Divisions 47 of NACE Rev. 2.

Size classes covered

All enterprises with 20 and more employees registered in the business register, small enterprises in the business register with less than 20 employees having an annual turnover in excess of 5 Mill. EUR and sole proprietors, that have an annual turnover in excess of 5 Mill. EUR.

Sample of small enterprises and sole proprietors performing their business activity on the base of issued trade licences according to Act no. 455/1991 [Digest] (the data source is the number of issued trade licences).

The number of persons employed variable includes:

- Paid employees, e.g. those persons who have a contract of employment and who are on the payroll of the enterprise. Paid working proprietors, paid students and homeworkers, part-time workers, seasonal workers persons on short-term leave are included in the variable. It is measured as an average number;

- Unpaid persons employed, e. g. unpaid working proprietors (owners), unpaid family workers. The data for the unpaid working proprietors is estimated using the data from the structural business statistics survey.

Wages and salaries include the total remuneration of employees counted on the payroll in return for their work, before deduction of their share of social security charges. It includes gratuities and bonuses paid from the profit of the enterprise, payments for emergency work. The particular items are based on the company accounting headings.

Hours worked include all hours which have actually been worked during the current period (basic or normal hours, overtime hours, hours worked during nights, Sundays or public holidays, short periods of rest at the place of work including tea and coffee breaks, time spent on business trips). The variable excludes hours which are paid but not worked such as paid annual holidays, public holidays, sick leave, or due to accidents, strikes, lock-outs or slack time.

Estimates of all 3 variables are realised for population of small enterprises based on results of monthly sample surveys and quarterly sample surveys and for self-employed performing their business activity on the base of issued trade licences according to Act no. 455/1991 [Digest] (the data source is the number of issued trade licences). The estimation of hours worked of self-employed is based on hours worked by employees.

The Business register is the frame for identifying units for the population. The Business register is updated in daily frequency from: the business register, the trades register, the professional chambers, and from other ministries. The Business register is updated with information from the tax register, the social insurance company register and from statistical surveys.

Enterprise is the reporting as well as observation unit.

All enterprises with 20 and more employees registered in the business register, small enterprises in the business register with less than 20 employees having an annual turnover in excess of 5 Mill. EUR and sole proprietors, that have an annual turnover in excess of 5 Mill. EUR.

Sample of small enterprises with less than 20 employees and an annual turnover less than 5 Mill. EUR with principal activity in Divisions 47 of NACE Rev. 2.

Approximately 1 488 units are covered, 476 large ones and 1 012 small ones.

Estimates for sole proprietors performing their business activity on the base of issued trade licences according to Act no. 455/1991 [Digest] (the data source is the number of issued trade licences).

Hours worked

Estimates of the variable hours worked are realized consistently for all services areas on the base of quarterly surveys results.

Estimates of all three variables are realized  consistently for all services areas for sole proprietors performing their business activity on the base of issued trade licences according to Act no. 455/1991 [Digest] (the data source is the number of issued trade licences).

2.1 Business register is the frame for identifying units for the population

2.2 Business register is updated in daily frequency from: the business register, the trades register, the professional chambers, and from other ministries.

Yearly frequency of updating from the tax register, the social Security Insurance company register and from statistical surveys.

All regions of the Slovak Republic are covered by the survey. The reporting units are residents at the territory of the Slovak Republic and provide data on their domestic activities and activities outside, if the activities carried out are of a subject of the tax and other duties in relation to Slovak legislation.  

The number of persons employed:

Up to the 1Q2013 the variable Number of persons employed was aproximated by the variable Number of employees. Data are regularly transmitted to Eurostat with first reference period 1Q2000.

Wages and salaries:

Data on wages and salaries are regularly transmitted to Eurostat with first reference period 1Q2010.

Hours worked:

Data on hours worked are regularly transmitted to Eurostat with first reference period 1Q2010.

Base period is not relevant for sending the absolute values.

Absolute values on the number of persons employed, wages and salaries and hours worked are transmitted to Eurostat on a quarterly basis.

Reference period for the number of persons employed and wages and salaries is month.

Reference period for hours worked is quarter.

Right to collect data in general is governed by the Slovak National Council law No 540/2001(Digest) on the state statistics as amended and supplemented by further regulations.

The obligation to provide data is stated in the Statistical Law and its provisions (Programme of State Statistical Surveys), which is fixed for a 3-year period.

The required variables are tranmitted in SDMX format to Eurostat since 2017.

Confidentiality of statistical data is laid down in act No. 540/2001 Coll. On state Statistics, as amended, § 30.

Instructions and guidelines are provided in internal directive SME – 1/2015 - Directive on confidentiality data protection complemented by Methodological guideline MET-1/2013. Directive contains general issues related to the confidentiality, while the methodological guideline is focused on concrete methods and parameter values used in the phase of confidentiality treatment of particular statistical surveys results and data files.

In case of Number of person employed, Wages and salaries and Hours worked in retail trade we apply the rule of primary confidentiality: data cell for less than 3 enterprises is protected. Secondary confidentiality is applied as well.

First Release Calendar provides the precise release dates for the coming four months in advance. It covers main economic and social indicators established currently within the EU regulations and IMF special standard, which define timeliness standards as well.

In the First Release Calendar compilation release dates defined by Eurostat are taken into consideration.

The “Catalogue of publications” is released every year. It contains information on particular publications, periodicity and dates of release.

First Release Calendar is publicly accessible. It is disseminated on the office's website, and in the monthly publication "Monitor of the Economy of the Slovak Republic". Users are also informed about the availability of the release calendar in a notice published in the relevant activity's publication.

First Release Calendar

The data are released simultaneously to all interested parties by issuing "Information reports" which are posted on the website of the Statistical Office of the SR website: (http://www.statistics.sk), 

Metadata of the variables

The first release is performed in the form of an information report or a press conference. There is a standing rule, that all users have the right to be provided with information at the same time. Outputs (information reports) are released at the standard daily time (at 9.00 o’clock) at the Internet portal of the SOSR in accordance with Principles of Release and Provision of Statistical Information.

Revision Policy of the SO SR

Calendar of the Revisions of the SO SR

Statistical Questionnaires

Statistical Yearbook of the SR 2017

Regional Statistical Yearbook of Slovakia 2018

DATACUBE

MAOB

Catalogue of publications 2018

First Release Calendar

Information report

(1)  Data are transmitted to Eurostat quarterly.

(2)  Indices of the number of persons employed are disseminated monthly to national users.

The number of persons employed:

1. Released monthly in electronic publications:

-    "Information reports" according to the release calendar;

-    "Monitor of the Economy of the Slovak Republic".

2. Released quarterly in electronic publications:

-     "Domestic trade, Accommodation and Food Service Activities in the Slovak Republic";

-     "Statistical Report on Basic Development Tendencies in the Economy of the Slovak Republic".

3. Website: http://www.statistics.sk

Data of wages and salaries and hours worked are not released.

The number of persons employed:

Released quarterly in paper publication:

— "Statistical Report on Basic Development Tendencies in the Economy of the Slovak Republic".

Released annualy in paper publications:

— "Statistical Yearbook of the Slovak Republic".

Data of wages and salaries and hours worked are not published.

Public database DATAcube

DATAcube

Micro-data are not disseminated.

Eurostat, national administration, National Bank of Slovakia.

Metadata for selected indicators are disseminated in SDDS structure. Dissemination of metadata for other indicators will be solved by implementation of Methodical directive for production of harmonised metadata being in preparation.

Metadata of statistical outputs are available independent from publication form (electronic and hardcopy). Metadata update is performed by persons responsible for the relevant topic following the methodology change.

Metadata are updated in public databases according to methodical directives for database DataCube. The update of metadata disseminated in databases as well as of metadata on portal is conducted according to the annual time tables of updating; they are submitted to top management meeting for approval.

Relevant documents are Rules and principles of development and update of DATAcube database and Methodological directive on using the regional statistics warehouse.

Each publication contains an introduction concerning methodological notes and contact for the information service. On the website of the SOSR there is available:

— Information on the number of persons employed, wages and salaries and hours worked in retail trade in “Indicators on economic development” including basic methodological notes;

— Statistical questionnaires forms in national version including methodological notes;

— Methodological sheets (descriptions of statistical indicators in detail) in national version.

Metadata of the variables

Technical projects of statistical surveys and methodological directives Quality indicators of statistical outputs and processes (MET-2/2012) and Application of mathematical-statistical methods for statistical surveys (MET-3/2012) are available for statistical data production.

At present quality reports are elaborated if required by the European regulations in compliance with ESS Handbook for Quality Reports (EQHQR).

The quality reports will be integrated into the new integrated stat. information system - ISIS (which is being implemented at present) and into the updated internal directives on value-adding processes. selfassessments of stat. surveys and methodological audits (in preparation), incl. analysis and reporting of the results are being integrated into the existing QMS system.

Quality policy is defined and made available to the public in documents:

Quality declaration and Quality policy.The SOSR high level statements highlight customer orientation and quality of the SOSR products and services; this is then reflected in the development strategy of the SOSR for the given period of time in: Vision, mission, common shared values.

Quality Manual is covering all elements of the ISO 9001:2008 standard.

There are defined internal directives related to the value adding processes supported by supporting managerial processes and by supporting resource processes.

European Statistics Code of Practice is the backbone of the whole QMS.

At present the technical projects are elaborated for each statistical survey including all necessary issues related to data entry, data completeness and statistical controls. This process is organised by specialised regional offices of the Statistical Office of the Slovak Republic. The cross-checking is done in the context of the statistical control process. A comparison with the development in previous periods is done.

The quality reports will be integrated into the new integrated stat. information system - ISIS (which is being implemented at present) and into the updated internal directives on value-adding processes. selfassessments of stat. surveys and methodological audits (in preparation), incl. analysis and reporting of the results are being integrated into the existing QMS system.

Regarding the results of particular data production processes the overall quality of the indicator construction production is considered to be as good.

Consultations with users are required by statistical act stressing the cooperation with other organisations (ministries and other state organisations) during preparation of the Programme of State Statistical Surveys.

An advisory body the Statistical Council consists of members representing main users (representatives of ministries, state organisation and public institutions).

The Council is the permanent expert advisory body for the President of the SOSR in the field of state statistics. The task of the Council is to draft /submit proposals and recommendations regarding state statistics concepts, to discuss the Programme of the state statistical surveys and other tasks according to the Status on the Statistical Council.

 Users are consulted:

- In accordance with internal directives on Value adding processes, part Communication with users;

- Via Survey on satisfaction of users with products and services of the SO SR, in two-year periodicity;

- Via conduct of activities focussing on learning about expectations of key users and on supporting better interpretation and better use of statistical products (action programe defined by the development strategy of the SOSR and reflected in Marketing plan for respective year); the activities are evaluated in annual Evaluation of Marketing plan; document Overview of activities focussing on learning about expectation of key users and on supporting better interpretation and better use of statistical products

-  Via  meetings with users conducted in accordance with the action programme defined by the development strategy of the SOSR and reflected in the Marketing plan for the respective year: to carry out activities focussing on learning about expectations of key users and on supporting better interpretation and better use of statistical data.

 In practice the consultations with users run on bilateral bases as well as within activities covered by the action programme Activities focussing on learning about expectation of key users and on supporting better interpretation and better use of statistical products.

 Key users of particular statistics products are listed in Marketing plan:

- International organizations – Eurostat.

- National institutions – Ministry of Economy of the Slovak Republic (MH SR).

User satisfaction is monitored via “Survey on satisfaction of users with products and services of the SO SR” conducted regularly with two-year periodicity. Evaluation of the user satisfaction survey also includes satisfactions rate (overall and for specified areas as well as for groups of products) and it is submitted together with conclusions and suggestions for improvements to top management meeting for approval.

Completeness rate is 100%

The number of persons employed:

Quarterly time series on the number of persons employed for Divisions 47 of NACE Rev. 2 are available since 1Q 2010. Up to the 1Q 2013 the variable Number of persons employed was aproximated by the variable Number of employees.

The wages and salaries:

Quarterly time series for Divisions 47 of NACE Rev. 2 are available since 1Q 2010.

The hours worked:

Quarterly time series for Divisions 47 of NACE Rev. 2 are available since 1Q 2010.

There were negligible non-sampling errors concerning coverage, measurement and item non-response and processing errors.
Improvement actions include careful formal checks, which are realised in the process of data entry automatically; (compatible with Validation level 0 and 1), informal checks aim of which is to control the complexity and relations among the variables ((compatible with Validation level from 2 to 5). Most of the errors are directly consulted with the reporting units by our regional offices.

Coefficient of Variation is not calculated.

For each survey the Technical project (TP) of data processing is elaborated. One part of TP is dedicated to the description/definitions of checks.

Validation of source data is based on the logical entry data control including the comparison with data from previous periods and the comparison with data from other sources as well as on the analysis results from control working tables. Every data treatment finishes by generating of validating protocol. 

Response rates for one surveyed period for October 2018 is 62,3 %.

According to the Specific STS guidelines there was reported response rate:

1. At the time data are provided to Eurostat:                  62,3 %
2. At the time data are first published nationally:            62,3 % 
3. Development during one data collection exercise:     Not available
4. Over the course of a year

There are no differences in timeliness between the different aggregation levels or between the statistical variables. Quarterly t+45.

All deadlines have been respected.

The same statistical concepts are applied for the entire area of Slovak Republic.

The number of persons employed:

Comparable time series for number of employees are available from January 2000 to December 2009 (the variable Number of persons employed was aproximated by the variable Number of employees).

Comparable time series for number of persons employed are available since January 2010.

The wages and salaries:

Comparable time series are available since January 2010.

The hours worked:

Comparable time series are available since 1Q 2010.

The following data comparison analysis is done:

1)  Comparison of monthly survey results with quarterly data surveyed for the purposes of national accounts (for the calculation of  quarterly GDP);

2)  Comparison with structural business statistics data;

3)  A regular meeting of the STS experts with the national accounts experts is organised;

4)  The trends of the STS data are compared with the business tendency surveys.

The analysis shows very good compliance level in case of parts of population surveyed exhaustively. Some differences appear when comparing data from monthly, quarterly and yearly samples, which are the subject of further detailed data analysis.

Not applicable.

In September 2013 the cost burden measurement was realized related to the STS regulation requirements.

In case of Number of person employed, Wages and salaries and Hours worked in retail trade the following results are available:

Cost (NSI) in hours per year 2012: 1 494.

Burden (respondents) in hours per year: 1 489.

Revisions are in conformity with standards, time-tested and transparent. They are described in decision ROZ-5/2011 Revision Policy of the SOSR.

The same revision policy is applied to STS data released nationally and transmitted to Eurostat.

According to Revision Policy of the SO SR the revised data are accompanied by all necessary explanations (reasons, character, etc.), they are accessible via the SOSR Portal.

The Revision Policy and Calendar of Revisions of the SOSR as well as all necessary explanations are accessible via the SOSR Portal. 

The Revision Policy of the SO SR

Calendar of Revisions

We distinguish:

Routine revisions – regular revisions of data not influenced by change of methodology. In general, the monthly/quarterly data is considered to be preliminary.

Routine revisions of data may be necessary due to data available from quarterly enterprise surveys, new data received from reporting units, correction of price indices or corrected data from reporting units. The revised data for the last 3 months of the quarter are published together with the preliminary results of the following month/quarter. The publication of the revised data is done periodically in line with Calendar of revisions    

Extra-ordinary revisions – not scheduled in the Calendar of revisions. Extra-ordinary revisions include revisions of definitive data due to changes of methodology, changes of classifications, change of base year, changes of mathematical/statistical methods of data calculation. Those revisions may result in a break in time series of data. The users are informed via Press releases in advance.

At present, numeric information on the size of revisions of data is not available.

The policy on vintage database is laid down in the Revision Policy of SOSR. Practical implementation of the policy is being prepared in the statistical information system.       

Vintage database of raw data exists in source database and is not publicly accessible. Data and documents regarding the revision is kept. General information about revision and methodological explanation is published, if relevant.

Coherence of the revision policy is respected for the data released nationally and disseminated to Eurostat.

The primary source of routine revisions is the need of data revisions due to data available from quarterly enterprise surveys, new data received from reporting units or corrected data from reporting units. The revised data for the last 3 months of the quarter are published together with the preliminary results of the following month. The publication of the revised data is done periodically in line with Calendar of revisions.

Exhaustive survey of enterprises with 20 and more employees and of small enterprises and sole proprietors with an annual turnover in excess of 5 Mill.EUR

Sample of small enterprises (annual turnover < 5 Mill. EUR).

Sample of sole proprietors (annual turnover < 5 Mill. EUR).

Stratification criteria: Activity, size classes

The rate used for sampling is 5 % for each combination of the two criteria: activity, number of employees.

Activity Groups : 47.1, 47.2, 47.3, 47.4., 47.5, 47.6, 47.7, 47.8, 47.9. 

Number of employees : 0-4, 5-19.

Every year one third of the sample is changed.

Monthly data collection for the number of persons employed and wages and salaries.

Quarterly data collection for hours worked.

Data collection is organized by specialised regional office of the SO SR in Brarislava.

The electronic data collection of monthly data is compulsory since the 1^st January 2016 in line with the obligation laid down in the Slovak National Council law No 326/2014 (Digest) amending the Slovak National Council law No 540/2001 on the state statistics. 

Formal and logical checks are realised in the process of data entry automatically; (compatible with Validation level 0 and 1), informal checks aim of which is to control the complexity and relations among the variables ((compatible with Validation level from 2 to 5). Most of the errors are directly consulted with the reporting units by our regional offices.

Data should be submitted on the 16 th calendar day following the end of the reference month. The non-responding units are informed about their reporting duty and contacted by regional offices again. There are no problems with reporting discipline in the case of big enterprises, nevertheless the situation in this area shows the decreased tendency in the last years.

The basic step in the process of unit non-response calculation is the analysis of population with regard to the status of activity of reporting units. For this purpose we use the classification of special response and non-response cases. The particular codes describing active and non-active units are allocated to every reporting unit. Afterwards we define eligible units: they are all active responding and non-responding units. In some cases it is not possible to obtain any information about the unit. In this case we suppose there is the same share of active and non-active units as in the known population. The part corresponding to active units we consider to be non-responding units. 

The data entry, data completeness and statistical control are organised by specialised regional offices of the SO SR. 

It has been distinguished between two levels of checking:

1/ Formal checks, which are realised in the process of data entry automatically; (compatible with Validation level 0 and 1)

2/ Informal checks aim of which is to control the complexity and relations among the variables ((compatible with Validation level from 2 to 5)

According to the importance there are classified 2 basic types of informal checks:

I –Informative check- this check gives the additional information, which is important for the following process of corrections. It informs also about some inconsistencies in the state of fulfilment of the questionnaire, about item non-response, exceeding stated limits etc. 

Z –Check of great importance - it is mostly check indicating the exact error and it must  be always corrected or explained.

Most of the errors are directly consulted with the reporting units by our regional offices.

Non-response is treated by the imputation of data from the previous month's survey, up to a maximum of three months.

The results of small enterprises and sole proprietors are grossed up from the sample to the population. The estimation is done by Horwitz-Thomson estimator with regard to the activity of the enterprise. The initial weights are modified according to the non-response rate of non-active units.

The data are not adjusted. Absolute values on the number of persons employed, wages and salaries and hours worked are transmitted to Eurostat. 

Not applicable.