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Project Title:European Working Conditions Survey (EWCS) (English Version)
  1. General Information: *Note: The item was tested both in English and German.*

    Online Probing
    Question 9 was not actively tested but served as a background variable in order to be able to distinguish respondents within the group of the self-employed.
    One respondent from the UK states that she is self-employed, but is paid a salary or a wage by an agency. Usually, these respondents are considered as employees and not as self-employed. However, the respondent states that she is a foster carer. In the UK, local councils use fostering agencies to put children into foster care. This indicates that “agency” could be misunderstood or misinterpreted by self-employed respondents.
    Five respondents selected the “other” response option.
  2. Question Text: English version: Please select the category or categories which apply to your main paid job.

    German version: Bitte wählen Sie die Kategorie bzw. Kategorien, die auf Ihren Hauptberuf am besten zutrifft bzw. zutreffen.
  3. Instruction: [MULTIPLE ANSWERS]
  4. Answer Categories English version:
    Sole director of own business

    A partner in a business or professional practice

    Working for yourself

    Working as a sub-contractor

    Doing freelance work

    Paid a salary or a wage by an agency

    Other, please specify:


    German version:
    Alleiniger Geschäftsführer einer eigenen Firma

    Partner/Mitinhaber in einer Firma, Praxis oder Kanzlei

    Bin selbstständig

    Arbeite als Subunternehmer

    Freiberufliche Tätigkeit

    Erhalte Lohn oder Gehalt von einer Agentur/Zeitarbeitsfirma

    Sonstiges, bitte angeben:


    1. Recommendations: Question: Depending on changes made to Q7, Q9 could be omitted.
      Answer categories: No changes recommended.
  1. Cognitive Techniques:Information image/link to cognitive pretesting -
  2. Findings for Question: -
  1. Question Topic: Job and career/ Job situation & professional activity
  2. Construct: Main paid job (self-employed)