It's a zero year so it's that time again.ﾠ

The US Census Bureau faces the daunting task of counting more than 300 million people and is recruiting temporary employees to help out.

Robin McClintock, Census Bureau partnership specialist, said a variety of jobs are being offered for varying terms.

"We are looking to hire 20-30 people and they're not just census takers," she said. "We are hiring for about six different positions and some of those will be enumerators. Those are the people who go door-to-door," she said.ﾠ

"We're hiring for crew leaders and supervisors," she added. "We're also doing something this year called a question and answer center and that's where we will have a sworn-in census person that you can bring your census form to help you fill it out."

"Some of the positions could go through September," she added.

The enumerators, workers who deliver forms, can expect to be employed for about three months, according to McClintock.

"We're hoping that that job will be as short as possible," she said. "We're anticipating it will be a few months."

Compliance with the census is mandatory.

Article I, Section 2 of the Constitution of the United States declares,

"Representation and direct Taxes shall be apportioned among the several States which may be included within this Union, according to their respective Numbers ... . The actual Enumeration shall be made within three Years after the first Meeting of the Congress of the United States, and within every subsequent Term of ten Years, in such Manner as they shall by Law direct."

Failure to submit the census form can result in a $100 fine. An intentional, false answer is more expensive with a $500 fine.

But the Census Bureau does not rely on criminal charges to force compliance. Instead, it is very successful in gaining participation by educating the public on the importance of the questions and how the information benefits communities.

"There's three important reasons for the census - apportionment of congressional seats, redistricting of areas based on population and distribution of funds," the specialist said. "Last year, $435 billion was distributed around the country."

McClintock said population numbers are used to allocate funds for programs including school grants; Head Start; women, infant and children's programs;
senior care; health and housing; transportation services; emergency food and shelter programs; highways; veterans services and hospitals.

"It's really important that everybody be counted because that means more money for the community," she said.

The census is conducted in March, primarily by mail, but forms will not be mailed to PO boxes or HC addresses. An enumerator will deliver forms to those locations. Anyone not mailing in their form can expect a visit from an enumerator, too.

This year's census form includes nine questions to determine the number, name, age, sex and race of persons in the residence. A tenth question asks if the home is owned or rented.ﾠ

Revenuers in disguise?

McClintock said the Census Bureau is strictly forbidden from sharing census information with other government agencies.

"The Census Bureau is a division of the Department of Commerce and we are a very separate division," she said. "We cannot share any information with any other organization. The FBI, the sheriff, the police, the INS - nobody gets access to this information."

"There was a Supreme Court case in 1974 where the FBI was demanding access to particular records and it [the bar to access] was upheld," she added. "The most important thing is - the only person who has access to census records is that person themselves."

The Census Bureau will conduct a job fair at McClintic Library on January 24 from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Persons interested in a temporary census job are invited to attend.
Applicants must bring two forms of identification. For more information, see http://2010.census.gov/2010census/ on the internet.