Uncle Sam Wants You… to Help Count

The 2020 U.S. Census count doesn’t begin until early next year, but applications are now being accepted for hundreds of temporary positions in the North Valley.

“Job selection is slated to begin in June with office jobs beginning shortly thereafter and field jobs starting in the July–August timeframe,” said Chris Ensign, who is responsible for finding applicants from New River, Desert Hills, Anthem, Tramonto, Sonoran Foothills, Norterra and elsewhere in the region.

Jobs include office clerks, census takers (going door-to-door) and supervisors. Pay starts at $14.50 and up depending on the position, Ensign said. The jobs are temporary, with flexible hours and paid training. Applicants must be 18 years old, a U.S. citizen and have a social security card.

Apply at www.2020census.gov/jobs, or call 1-855-JOB-2020 for more info.

Why the Census Matters

The U.S. Constitution requires the population to be counted every 10 years. Some ways the results are used:

• Determines how many representatives each state gets in the U.S. House of Representatives.
• Informs redrawing of state legislative district boundaries.
• Informs state and local agencies on need for new roads, schools and emergency services.
• Helps businesses decide where to move or open.

For the first time, citizens will be able to respond to the census online or by phone, as well as by mail. Those responses help the bureau reduce the need for in-home visits. Federal law protects the confidentiality of individual respondents.

SOURCE: U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

Robert Roy Britt

NoPho resident Robert Roy Britt has written for In&Out publications since its inception in 2005. Britt began his journalism career in New Jersey newspapers in the early 1990s. He later became a science writer and was editor-in-chief of the online media sites Space.com and Live Science. He has written four novels. .