Census gears up for count, offers temporary jobs

Positions still open in northwest Jersey for updating data

By Colleen O'Dea • Daily Record • February 23, 2009

Despite the depressed job market, there is one place where unemployed North Jerseyans may be able to find work: The U.S. Census Bureau.

he only catch is the jobs are temporary.

In a little more than a year, the federal government will conducts its decennial count of the nation's population. To do so, the Census Bureau needs tens of thousands of workers, what it is calling the largest temporary civilian workforce mobilization in history.

As part of the national count, some 1,600 people will do the preparation and surveying in 10 North Jersey counties, including Morris, Sussex and Warren.

While the bureau has already filled many of these temporary positions, it still has openings in northwest Jersey, said Pat Valle, assistant regional census manager.

"Those are more rural areas where we still need people," said Valle.

The population count every 10 years is mandated by the U.S. Constitution. The numbers are used to reapportion the 435 congressional representatives equitably among the states. The count also is used to distribute $300 billion in federal aid to states based on population.

"Census 2010 is certain to prove very challenging and rewarding for anyone who becomes a part of the operation," said New York Regional Director Lester A. Farthing. "Working for the U.S. Census Bureau provides people the chance to utilize a wide spectrum of skills. And it's a great way to serve your country."

To take an accurate population count, the Census needs to do several different tasks through the end of 2010. The Census is hiring people for all levels of work, from supervisors to clerks. Most jobs last between two weeks and two months, but some people may qualify for and be hired for multiple jobs during the next two years.

"When an operation stops, usually another operation comes along behind that," Valle said.

The work will begin soon, with the updating of every address in the nation. After a week of training, workers with hand-held computers and address lists will fan out to every neighborhood in the country, verifying addresses on file and making changes to account for the construction or demolition of a home or other changes, such as the conversion of a one-family house into a multi-family dwelling.

"This is all in preparation for sending out those census forms in 2010," Valle said.

For the most part, workers will be assigned areas close to home and will not be reporting to an office daily.

Each time a new task begins, Census officials will hire workers from the list of those who have passed a test. Those who meet the criteria of the current job, did well on a previous job and tested highest will be the first chosen, Valle said.

The test is one of general skills, including math computation, alphabetization and grammar.

Probably the greatest need will occur beginning next spring with the start of the actual census counting.

Next March, Census officials expect to mail a form to every household in the nation. This year, each home will get only what was known previously as the short form, which will contain only a few basic questions about age, sex and race, the number of people living in a home and their relationships.

In the past, a percentage of homes received what was known as the long form, which asked more detailed questions about school, work, income and other aspects of life. That has been discontinued, replaced by the annual American Community Survey.

The Census Bureau intends to launch extensive advertising to get as many people as possible to fill out a census form, but in 2000, only about six of every 10 households did so.

Thousands of people will be hired to follow up in person or by phone to count each family.

"The biggest operation is the nonresponse follow-up," Valle said.

Census workers also will spend several days seeking to count the homeless in places such as soup kitchens. In addition, the government will open up offices across the state and the nation where people can be counted or get help filling out a form.

Workers may have to overcome the reservations of some people who fear the government is trying to check up on them. Valle asserted that Census officials don't ask for such personal information as Social Security numbers, nor do they ask a person's immigration status.

The count and follow-up should take most of next year.

"All the counting must be on the president's desk by Dec. 31, 2010," Valle said.

Currently, North Jersey's census operations are based in Rocky Hill. The bureau is planning to open additional local offices throughout the state by the end of the year.

Anyone interested in a census position can get more information by calling (866) 861-2010. More information about Census jobs, including a practice test, is available at: http://2010.census.gov/2010censusjobs/index.php.

Colleen O'Dea can be reached at (973) 428-6655 or codea@gannett.com