Structure of Earnings

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Labour and Income, Social Statistics
Bao Chau Do
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Structure of Earnings 2023

The purpose of the structure of earnings statistics is to provide detailed information about employees' earnings analysed by level of education, occupation, region, industry and age for the entire labour market. The structural statistics on earnings form part of Statistics Denmark's coherent statistical system for earnings and labour costs. The system covers the public sector as well as corporations and organizations.

Statistical presentation

The statistics include all establishments in the general government sector. As for the sector corporations and organizations all enterprises are included with an employment corresponding to ten or more full-time employees, with the exception of the industry agriculture, forestry and fishing. The statistics are not immediately suitable for shedding light on wage developments, as the change between two years, in addition to wage increases, reflects changes in employee composition such as the arrival and departure of employees within given groupings.

Statistical processing

Annually payroll information is collected for the entire General government sector as well as for companies in the private sector with 10 or more full-time employees. The public sector is considered full deck while the total population of private sector is only comprised of enterprises with 10 or more full-time employees.

Relevance

Users of statistics are wide-ranging from national and international organizations , ministries , municipalities and regions for private companies and individuals. The structure of earnings statistics cannot be used as an employment indicator. For this purpose one should instead use the employment statistics.

Accuracy and reliability

The margins of statistical errors are especially linked to hours of work. Especially data reported on paid absence can be subject to inaccuracies. In addition to this, there may be errors in the periodic delimitation, which are essential to the compilation of hours worked as well as the agreed working time. However, efforts are continuously made to improve the data quality through feedback to the enterprises and through updating and improvement of the production systems.

The statistical uncertainty is not calculated.

Timeliness and punctuality

The structure of Earnings is published on a yearly basis at then end of September following the reference period. The information is normally published without delay compared to schedule.

Comparability

These statistics are in its current form, comparable from 2013 and onwards. Structural changes from year to year must be taken into account, when comparing the level of earnings over time. Annual data are transmitted to Eurostat by all EU Member States, and the statistics Structure of Earnings Survey (SES) are compiled on the basis of these data.

Accessibility and clarity

These statistics are published annually in a Danish press release, at the same time as the tables are updated in the StatBank. In the StatBank, these statistics can be found under Structure of earnings. For further information, go to the subject page.