On being a census taker for US Gummint

[cashflo2u2]

Today I applied and took a test to be a census taker in order to supplement my retirement income. Has anyone had any experience in doing this? Pay is not bad for a retiree.

 

[Amethyst]

Hm, for the 2010 census, I presume? When will your duties commence?

My mother was an "enumerator" for the 1970 census (knocked on doors of folks whose census forms either weren't returned, or were filled out wrong). She got mileage compensation, as well as pay, and met some interesting people (mom was the kind of person people tended to trust and like). Of course, 1970 was a different era (safer, possibly?).

 

[TromboneAl]

This is my favorite video clip ever. We have it on DVD and watch it every Christrmas:

SNL - Christopher Walken - Census Video

 

[cashflo2u2]

They said that they are doing the 2010 census differently, in that preliminary work will start soon in order to facilitate the 2010 census taking. In addition, I understand there are other types of subject matter that require visitations and interviews and they use the census takers for this.

 

[haha]

Today I applied and took a test to be a census taker in order to supplement my retirement income. Has anyone had any experience in doing this? Pay is not bad for a retiree.

Sounds interesting, and I could definitely use the cash.
Could you tell us how to apply?

Ha

 

[REWahoo]

Sounds interesting, and I could definitely use the cash.
Could you tell us how to apply?

Ha

Here ya go, Ha. US Census Bureau 2010 Jobs Main Page

 

[cashflo2u2]

Ha ha, there was an ad in the local paper. At the meeting they said (probably no secret) it paid $15 hour and .58 in car mileage. The test was not easy imo but you could take it over if you flunked. There is a 40 hour training period which I assume they pay you for.

 

[haha]

Thanks guys.

 

[cashflo2u2]

T'boneAl, that is a LOL, I gots to send that to some croneys.

 

[socca]

The problem: there are some neighborhoods that I wouldn't want to enter, even with an armed escort. Furthermore, it's exactly these neighborhoods where the presence of census takers on-site will be necessary. No thanks.

 

[Amethyst]

I agree with socca...there are some scary neighborhoods out there. Since we lived in rural NJ in 1970, my mother's 'clients' were mainly NJ country folk, who would only be likely to shoot revenue agents trying to confiscate their applejack stills. I remember her talking about helping elderly, semi-illiterate people to fill out their forms, and how grateful they were.

One comment I would like to make, on behalf of those who really need cash...when you work for the govt, your mileage compensation is not, to the best of my knowledge, taxed.

Now I will leave off this topic, lest I be suspected of "pushing" census work

 

[haha]

I agree with socca...there are some scary neighborhoods out there.

When I was about 17 or 18 I had a job taking census for City Directory. It was a cross reference for names, addresses, and phone numbers. It seems like I spent all mytime in so-so to bad neithborhoods. Of course things were not as nasty then as they often are now.

I was a city kid, but I sure learned a lot about how others might live that summer. In particular I learned that 17 and 18 year olds really had better use condoms, because it is no fun to live in a terrible, sweltering shotgun apartment in some falling down tenement with a couple babies pulling your hair while you try to talk at the door.

Ha

 

[2good]

Is mileage compensation ever taxed? I work for a private company and I believe to get my mileage compensation not taxed.

 

[ziggy29]

when you work for the govt, your mileage compensation is not, to the best of my knowledge, taxed.

I don't think working for the government has anything to do with it. I don't ever recall my mileage reimbursement being taxable.

 

[brewer12345]

I agree with socca...there are some scary neighborhoods out there. Since we lived in rural NJ in 1970, my mother's 'clients' were mainly NJ country folk, who would only be likely to shoot revenue agents trying to confiscate their applejack stills.

"I nicked the census man!"

"Now there's a good boy."

 

[Dreamer]

Trombone Al, Thanks for posting that video. It is hilarious and brings back some memories of a few of the clients that I interviewed while working for the fed gov. I was sitting here in sort of a funk and was laughing out loud and definitely in a much better mood. I will watch it many more times over the years.

I am thinking about applying for a job with the census also. The safety aspect does worry me a bit. I was used to having an armed guard at work. Also, having a schedule worries me a bit also.

 

[Martha]

Armed guard at work? Pray tell, what did you do?

 

[limpid lizard]

I have been working as a census recruiter for the past month. It is not all that difficult to apply, test, or get hired. Basically you dial 1-866-861-2010 and apply. You will be prompted for your zip code and from that be directed to the office scheduling tests in your area.

Pay is dependent on location. I live adjacent to a state line, and the rates are different on each side of the line.

The test is not all that difficult. Many people max it.

After testing, a background check is done, and then you are called and given a very brief interview. You are asked if you are available for 40 hours of paid training, but not all positions require that many hours of training.

Hiring is generally for a two month period and may be extended.

Per diem and mileage are not taxable.

You generally are hired to work close to your own neighborhood, therefore you do not generally have to worry about being sent into an urban combat zone.

There will be a big hiring push in January and February 2009. These people will be developing the data the 2010 census takers work from.

Questions? Just ask.

 

[Dreamer]

I worked for Social Security.

 

[Walt34]

Armed guard at work? Pray tell, what did you do?

I'm one of the armed guards at a gummint facility. It's one of those places where they WILL do serious bodily injury to anyone trying to get inside without authorization.

All of them (guards) are either retired or current law enforcement working either full or part time. About 32 hours/week give or take for me, and 4 months of after-tax income from it allowed me to feel comfortable writing a $12k check for a motorcycle. I only worked overtime once because somebody else called in sick and I wasn't doing anything else that day anyway. It's a great retirement job.

 

[OAG]

Walt 34: I did that work from about 79-86. Contracted for FPO in DC area. It is a good job but I envy how you can ONLY work 32 hours a week. I was forever getting roped into overtime - limited to 12 hour shifts. Loved it when we got snowed in and actually had to work 16 hour shifts as an exception. At that time we could not find enough people to work full or part time - Security Clearance and Armed status kept many away - although, as you said, the money was good.

 

[Walt34]

The security clearance took about four or five months to come through and that was a bit frustrating. The 12-hour max must be some federal regulation since that applies here too.

The company's targeted work week is 32 hours for the full-timers so if somebody gets sick the result will not be overtime for the fill-in. But when I started looking for a job a three or four day work week was exactly what I had in mind so this works out great.