Anyone work as a Census Taker?

I worked with a research company and we did surveys that involved knocking on doors and convincing people to take the survey. the names were chosen by some formula that I do not know. the point is when they sent me into an area and I had gotten all the people that would voluntarily do the survey, they would send me to a different area and send someone else to the area I just worked. It seems different people could get survey's answered by different survey takers. I know it seems strange, but it worked for the company I worked for.
 
I signed up online and received the standard email that they will be in touch. I used to do "house calls " to collect debt. I would think counting noses would be way less offensive than collecting $ or vehicles. I live in rural area and don't really have concerns. I was hounded by the local nutter that worked for census in the past. That's partly why I applied, I was resistant to giving up my personal information to a know gossip. Thought if I'm assigned locally i know lots of people and hopefully am looked at as more trustworthy [emoji41]
 
Amethyst said:
Complying with the Census is Federal law, although I don't think it is enforced too sternly (if at all). I'm surprised, though, that those who actually threaten Census workers aren't eventually "hounded" by somebody with a gun and a badge.
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The Constitution supports the counting of people in order to properly allocate representatives, electoral college numbers, etc. The other data the long form wants serves no Constitutional purpose.
 
Backpacker said:
I signed up online and received the standard email that they will be in touch. I used to do "house calls " to collect debt. I would think counting noses would be way less offensive than collecting $ or vehicles. I live in rural area and don't really have concerns. I was hounded by the local nutter that worked for census in the past. That's partly why I applied, I was resistant to giving up my personal information to a know gossip. Thought if I'm assigned locally i know lots of people and hopefully am looked at as more trustworthy [emoji41]
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I signed up online, because I'm a recent transplant to a rural area, thought it would be a way to get to know some of the locals. They actually called me and gave me the job yesterday: $20hr +0.59/mile, said it'd be about 20-35 hrs/week. I'm so rural, I'd probably make more off mileage than the hourly.

However, I ran the numbers today, and aside from interfering with my busy lifestyle of doing absolutely nothing, the income would blow me past my desired ACA MAGI. Well, so there's that, plus the incipient fear of being shot by some of the stand-my-ground free-staters...
 
Winemaker said:
A retired fellow winemaker has been working for the census department for the past two years. He drives all over the place checking out addresses, and residences in rural areas. He will go up dirt roads to see how many living quarters may be up a road, and to see if those living quarters match with mailboxes/addresses/ postal routes and IIRC, IRS records to make sure they are sent the census forms. Physical counting doesn't occur unless you didn't send in your form and requires a friendly visit. He has been run off and threatened with bodily harm several times. Not something I would want to do, for whatever noble reason i would have.
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Well, you can't really expect to make $18/hour without getting shot at, can you?
 
I worked in the 1970 Census as a cute 19-year-old college student (I had just transferred from a 'semesters-based' college to a 'quarters-based' college, so I had a few months in-between to kill.)

The Pros:

$10/hr. which was GREAT money for a college kid in 1970.

The Cons:

>> I didn't have a car, so I was riding public transport all around Cleveland.
>>The census was in the Feb/March time frame. It was freezing cold, with lots of snow and slush on the ground (cold, wet feet anyone?)
>> I'd run into mailmen during the day while on my "route". They'd ask me about my "route" and were surprised that I was covering a lot more territory daily than they did.
>> I was sent to very sketchy areas of town, including the "near east side". Going door-to-door in 5-6 story decrepit apartment buildings was a bit harrowing. (Likely not the smartest/safest thing for a cute young college gal, all by herself.)
>>One of my jobs was to knock on doors and ask how many living quarters were at that address. Folks either wouldn't answer the door (I could see or hear them inside) or they would would often lie and understate the quantity, thinking that an honest response would result in higher taxes for them. So we were trained to count things like mailboxes and electric meters, for example, to try to tease out how many living quarters (= separate kitchen, bathroom, and sleeping room(s)) were REALLY at that address.
>> I saw young men breaking off the 'bodies' of long-necked beer bottles in the 'hood. Didn't know what that meant....I guess they were fixing for a fight.
>> I was eventually promoted to administrating tests to aspiring census-takers. So there I am, alone in a room in an empty community center in yet anbothr sketchy part of town, waiting for random people to show up. I remember one of the (dis)qualification questions was "Are you a felon?" One guy said "Yes" so I had to tell him he couldn't take the test. (I was afraid to tell him, but he seemed to take it OK. He was probably the first felon I'd ever met.)
>> etc. etc.

---

I toyed with the thought of working for the 2020 census -- 50 years later -- as sort of a 'full circle' moment...but decided it wouldn't be worth the hassle.

omni
 
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So... last week both DS and I received the "selection" call to be a census enumerator.

In this age of coronavirus, I am debating if I will pursue. I will get the background check, and at least go through the training, for which I will be paid for. The training is a month away, so I will judge things based on the environment at that time.
 
I think they'll have to postpone it given the current situation. Not enough people wanting to go to strangers' homes, not enough people wanting to let strangers in their home (official credentials or not).
 
I signed up to work it but when they called today said no.
 
Over the last few months I received a call once a month asking if I was still interested. I said yes. Finally training has been scheduled. Only 2 hours in a classroom (with social distancing), 40 hours online. One will paid for training even if one decides not to continue afterwards. I'm curious to see what type of "protection" they will put in place for census workers. It will be interesting to see if they realize that they may get fewer workers (in addition to those who have already dropped out) if they do not set an expectation of "we want you to be safe".
 
jollystomper said:
Over the last few months I received a call once a month asking if I was still interested. I said yes. Finally training has been scheduled. Only 2 hours in a classroom (with social distancing), 40 hours online. One will paid for training even if one decides not to continue afterwards. I'm curious to see what type of "protection" they will put in place for census workers. It will be interesting to see if they realize that they may get fewer workers (in addition to those who have already dropped out) if they do not set an expectation of "we want you to be safe".
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a buddy used to do this and he said most people were at least not hostile but some neighborhoods he refused to go back to fearing violence. be careful and choose wisely if offered a choice of territory.
 
I was hired a while back and have heard nothing about training. I did this in 2010 and it was alright. I did some surveys for westat research and enjoyed the travel and meeting the people. something to do when retired.
 
This week I completed the training. So I am "official" now. It was not difficult at all. I did find it somewhat repetitive, but that seemed in part to be intentional.

The onsite training was social distanced, with masks and hand sanitizer available. The online training was primarily self study, with a couple of conference calls to walk through your census kit (which included PPE) and device you will be using.

I have provide my availability schedule but so far no work has come my way. We'll see. the training wasn't a bad way to pick up a few bucks. :)
 
did they contact you or did you have to contact the census to set up the training?
 
jollystomper said:
This week I completed the training. So I am "official" now. It was not difficult at all. I did find it somewhat repetitive, but that seemed in part to be intentional.

The onsite training was social distanced, with masks and hand sanitizer available. The online training was primarily self study, with a couple of conference calls to walk through your census kit (which included PPE) and device you will be using.

I have provide my availability schedule but so far no work has come my way. We'll see. the training wasn't a bad way to pick up a few bucks. :)
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It says on the job site that I was selected and there were three agreements that were there for download. what did you do with the three agreements?
 
frank said:
did they contact you or did you have to contact the census to set up the training?
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They contacted me, first by phone (several times) and then by email with the training details.
 
frank said:
It says on the job site that I was selected and there were three agreements that were there for download. what did you do with the three agreements?
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Have you received an acceptance confirmation email?

I received an email confirming my selection and requiring me to schedule a fingerprint session within 7 days of the email. This was for a background check. Once I passed that, instructions were then sent via email about filling out several forms on the job site.
 
Extra Medium said:
I was a supervisor of enumerators for the 2000 census. I met them in a local coffee shop, and got to be one of the regulars there. It was fun!
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Given the pandemic situation, they do not seem to be encouraging those types of meetings these days... my supervisor has been in touch with me via phone and text.
 
So I have gone out several days on assignments, after getting a training snafu cleared up (the classic IT "data from application A is not flowing to update application B, we don't know why"). I am wearing a mask and gloves. All assignments have been close to my house, my house, which is good. Only two not polite people so far, but nothing major.

My main issue is getting people to interview who tell me they have already completed the census questionnaire via mail/telephone/internet. I was under the impression that our work was only for locations that had not turned in their data. People are being polite, and refusing, not blaming me, but more along the lines of "why are we being asked for this information twice?" If I were in their shoes I would feel the same way.


At least I can choose when and how long I want to do this. :)
 
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