Data access
Researchers who wish to access the data can do so by ordering the SOEP-Core EU edition (see SOEP data access) or by visiting the Research Data Center of the SOEP (see SOEP-in-Residence program). In the RDC SOEP, researchers have access to the onsite edition, which provides some variables of the SOEP-LEE2 data with more detailed scales and categories. Data from the first SOEP-LEE study are only available in the RDC SOEP.
Data Structure and Linkage
We provide the data of the two SOEP-LEE studies in different datasets. Data of the first SOEP-LEE study are contained in the datasets slee_estab and slee_sample. slee_estab includes the data collected in the establishment survey, while slee_sample is the linkage file that contains SOEP-Core person identifiers (pid) and establishment identifiers (eid), allowing for linkage with SOEP-Core.
Data of SOEP-LEE2 employer survey is distributed in the datasets lee2estab, lee2brutto, and lee2person. lee2estab contains the survey data themselves, while lee2brutto provides additional field work information. lee2person is the linkage file that contains SOEP-Core person identifiers (pid) and establishment identifiers (eid), allowing for linkage with SOEP-Core. Note that it is not possible to combine the 2012 wave of SOEP-LEE with the subsequent waves of SOEP-LEE2 into a single panel dataset because the 2012 wave uses different establishment identifiers, also if by chance the same establishment was surveyed.
Data for the self-employed is provided in the selfempl dataset. Each individual's business is identified by the SOEP-Core person identifier (pid) so that no further linkage file is required.
Citation
For the first SOEP-LEE study, please cite: Weinhardt, M.; Meyermann, A.; Liebig, S.; Schupp, J. (2017). The Linked Employer-Employee Study of the Socio-Economic Panel (SOEP-LEE): Content, Design and Research Potential. Jahrbücher für Nationalökonomie und Statistik 237(5), 457–467. https://doi.org/10.1515/jbnst-2015-1044.
For SOEP-LEE2, please cite: Matiaske, W., Schmidt, T. D., Halbmeier, C., Maas, M., Holtmann, D., Schröder, C., Böhm, T., Liebig, S., and Kritikos, A. S. (2023). SOEP-LEE2 : Linking Surveys on Employees to Employers in Germany. Jahrbücher Für Nationalökonomie Und Statistik Data Observer, 1–14. https://doi.org/10.1515/jbnst-2023-0031