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Hawthorne Press Tribune
Herald Publications - El Segundo, Hawthorne, Lawndale & Inglewood Community Newspapers Since 1911 - (310) 322-1830 - Vol. 61, No. 10 - March 7, 2019
Inside
This Issue
Calendar of Events.............3
Certified & Licensed
Professionals.......................6
Classifieds............................3
Entertainment......................2
Food.......................................5
Lawndale..............................4
Legals............................. 4,6,7
Pets........................................5
Real Estate...........................8
Weekend
Forecast
Friday
Wind
58˚/46˚
Saturday
Mostly
Sunny
59˚/49˚
Sunday
AM
Showers
57˚/49˚
The Weekly Newspaper of Hawthorne
Scottie Visits Ramona School to
Celebrate Dr. Seuss and Reading
Scottie, front and center, helped celebrate Dr. Seuss’ birthday as part of the annual Read Across America Day with his friends from Ramona Elementary School. Photo: Hawthorne PD.
Census Bureau Hiring Part-Time
Workers Ahead of the Big Count
By Rob McCarthy
The U.S. Census Bureau never sleeps, chasing
down numbers year round about America’s
people, places and things that matter to community
leaders and business analysts. Which
states are gaining in population? Who’s starting
businesses? Is U.S. manufacturing making a
comeback? What’s trending in public schools
and high school graduation rates?
It’s a gigantic job, but as they say, somebody’s
got to do it. That responsibility falls on
the Census Bureau, the statistical arm of the
federal government. Along with the monthly
production of surveys about business, education
and the economy, the bureau is focusing
right now on its core mission: to count the
U.S. population every 10 years. The findings
are used to rebalance congressional seats and
allocate federal dollars for services and public
projects.
The South Bay isn’t in any danger of losing
congressional seats in Washington, D.C.
However changes in population are considered
by lawmakers and federal agencies in
prioritizing new spending on infrastructure,
law enforcement, and the polarizing issue of
border security.
Like a modern-day Rip Winkle, the giant
agency goes dormant -- in the minds of many
Americans -- only to awaken every 10 years
to mail a census form to U.S. households.
It’s that time again when the bureau awakens
public awareness about an upcoming head
count, which dates back to Thomas Jefferson’s
presidency. Currently, the bureau is recruiting
part-time workers to apply for local positions
paying between $17 and $21 per hour. They
require good organizational skills, a familiarity
with one’s community, and a knack for
talking to people.
Field census takers, for example, have flexible
work hours, including evenings and weekends.
Some field positions require employees to be
available days to see addresses on buildings.
Other field positions require interviewing the
public, so employees must be available to work
when people are usually at home such as in
the evening and on weekends, the bureau says.
There is also a need for community census
supervisors who get involved when households
can’t be reached, either because a physical
barriers or lack of interest by the people living
there. Supervisors also provide on-the-job
training for census takers. The 2020 count also
needs recruiting assistants to find partners within
their communities to encourage participation
and spread the word about why the census
matters. Recruiters also staff promotional
events and travel within their designated areas
to speak to community groups about starting
their own grassroots campaign.
The Los Angeles-based headquarters for
the 2020 census also plans to hire clerks and
supervisors for payroll, personnel, recruiting
and field operations and support of the onceper
decade mission. “These positions provide
the perfect opportunity to earn some extra
income while helping your community,” the
bureau says. Applicants must be 18 years or
older, be U.S. citizens with a Social Security
card, and have an email address. A criminal
background check is part of the employment.
Hiring won’t begin until the fall, when the
bureau begins to fill positions for recruiting
assistant, office operations supervisor, and
clerks. These positions will last the longest,
maybe up to six months or more. The field
positions are expected to last for several weeks,
the bureau estimates.
Recruiting will begin in January for census
takers in South Bay communities who will
canvass addresses. This block-by-block assignment
will be the first major field operation
by the 2020 census. The work is mostly in
the day, updating address lists and maps for
the Los Angeles County regional count. The
majority of hiring for address canvassers will
take place in June 2020.
Field workers are reimbursed for their travel
expenses, including mileage for their vehicles.
Temporary census staff are paid weekly through
direct deposit to their banks. The census
count field and office positions are temporary
positions, and won’t lead to full-time federal
employment.
Anyone interested in working for the
Census Bureau must have Internet access
and a computer to complete the required
training. Census workers either need a vehicle
and drivers licenses or easy access to
public transportation for field and office visits.
An online application must be completed and
an assessment with questions will be given.
English proficiency is needed, though a portion
of the assessment asks questions in both
Spanish and English.
A sizable number of part-time workers are
needed for local outreach in the summer of
2020. Veterans who served active duty with the
U.S. military and have an honorable discharge
may qualify for preferred hiring status with
the bureau. Applicants who complete the paid
training will considered for open positions as
See Census, page 4