Anyone ever work for the US Census?

[FLAngie]

Yup, they wanted the bags, all training books, any unused forms and even the box the HHC came in.

 

[Dizneydaz]

We were told we will have to return everything when our work is over. Even inc. the plastic bags the equipment came in.

I ran into a lister in my area (I'm in QC) and she said they've been told that there are only 20 AAs left and they have 16 listers. Sounds like they'll be done next week. Guess that means my work will be done by the week after.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I am still hoping for more work. Last Monday I was told we had 10% done and we would be doing about 20% each week...since we got many new listers. I am just hoping for 3-4 more weeks. I have to go out to one area that has 28 AA's in it and that is just for 1 area. My CL said it would be a whole weeks work for about 7 of us. After that we may have to do a bit of driving. I'm keeping my fingers crossed.

 

[RichNKatHolly]

Hi all. I just had my first day of training. We did nearly the entire 8 hours today. Blahhhh!! I haven't sat in a classroom for a very long time. And all the problems with the HHCs and people asking the same question 25 different ways. Ewwww!! I can't wait for it to be OVER!

 

[disney1990]

Hi all. I just had my first day of training. We did nearly the entire 8 hours today. Blahhhh!! I haven't sat in a classroom for a very long time. And all the problems with the HHCs and people asking the same question 25 different ways. Ewwww!! I can't wait for it to be OVER!

It only gets better. A week from now you will be complaining about your HHC and the problems you are having with it. Are you an Enumerator?

 

[RichNKatHolly]

It only gets better. A week from now you will be complaining about your HHC and the problems you are having with it. Are you an Enumerator?

Oh Goodie!

Yes, I'm an enumerator - or I will be after Friday.

We had 2 people today who never got their HHC up and running. Not sure what they are going to do for them. 2 other people had issues but were resolved before class let out for the day.

 

[Dizneydaz]

Got the bad news a few hours ago. I've been laid off from doing QC. They laid off 50% of our team. Since I finished my last AA's today, they'll be picking up the HHC, etc. tomorrow.

Bummer-it only lasted about 1/2 as long as they said.

Just when they finally got the HHCs to stop beachballing (on Tues. a.m.)

Seems like even with all the problems we had, we still got done quicker than they thought. I know I completed 5 AAs (Quality Control) the last 2 days.


Hope there's another phase coming soon.

 

[Soccer Princess]

I just finished my training today. It was a lot shorter than most of you had described. Monday was mainly paperwork/fingerprinting. Tues-Wed was in the classroom training. Today we took our test (I missed one for not reading carefully lol) and then went out in the field for about an hour. That is all the training we got, so hopefully whenever I get an actual AA assigned to me I will do okay.

 

[summerrluvv]

I actually had someone come to my door tonight and she was very friendly! I wasn't going to answer, but I saw her US Census Bag and did. Was it anyone on here?

 

[RichNKatHolly]

I just finished my training today. It was a lot shorter than most of you had described. Monday was mainly paperwork/fingerprinting. Tues-Wed was in the classroom training. Today we took our test (I missed one for not reading carefully lol) and then went out in the field for about an hour. That is all the training we got, so hopefully whenever I get an actual AA assigned to me I will do okay.

Same here, only we took our test Wed at 3pm, went home and Thurs were sent out live in the field alone. I was finished my block by the time my CLA met up with me. Didn't think it was very hard (although I had a residential, single family home block - on my own street) .

Sorry DisneyDaz about the lay off. At least you got to make some money for a short while. Hopefully you'll get called back in 2010.

 

[Dizneydaz]

My CL and CLA came by a few hours ago to pickup all my stuff. They collected the HHC with all components, Census bag, I.D. badge, as well as the 3 books from training. I also returned the unused forms.

They say I qualify for unemployment so I guess I'll check it out. I've never gotten unemployment before-It'll all be new to me. They almost mentioned that they expect next week to be their final week.

 

[disney1990]

Well, DH & I are still working on address canvassing here in Maryland. We trained from March 30-April 3rd. We have now worked a full 4 weeks. According to our CL, all the small AA's are completed -- we started off with 170. Everything left is really big. My DH and I worked on one together the last 2 days -- it was almost 700 housing units. Our CL says that there are about 30 AA remaining before we will be finished. So I am guessing will have another 2-3 weeks of work.

Dizneydaz - hopefully, you will be called back for the next phase.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

Does anyone know how to go about getting hired for the 2010 portion? I am currently a lister and I think my employment with the census is going to end next week. Even with all the headaches this would be the perfect job for me next year. I am not sure if we let them know we are interested or do we reapply like new people or what.

 

[disney1990]

Does anyone know how to go about getting hired for the 2010 portion? I am currently a lister and I think my employment with the census is going to end next week. Even with all the headaches this would be the perfect job for me next year. I am not sure if we let them know we are interested or do we reapply like new people or what.

My DH and I both worked as listers. Our CL has told us that he will be recommending us for the next phase. He said we will probably be called in June 2009 to start training in July or August 2009. I highly recommend that you talk to your CL about continued employment.

 

[windycitymom]

They say I qualify for unemployment so I guess I'll check it out. I've never gotten unemployment before-It'll all be new to me. They almost mentioned that they expect next week to be their final week.

Can you get unemployment for a temporary position? Our supervisor said nothing about unemployment. Let us know what your supervisor says. I can't imagine we could get unemployment - but I would apply if I qualified.

 

[disney1990]

I know with the economic stimulus plan, some of the unemployment rules have changed. Most states now allow unemployment to be collected if you are terminated from part-time employment. The main reason for this is that many companies would hire people for 30 hours to avoid have to pay benefits and to have their employees qualify for unemployment benefits. But those states that accepted the economic stimulus benefits, had to agree to change who gets benefits. I don't know if this will affect those people that worked for the Census, but it just might.

That way, if you were fired from a job or were quit a job, and then worked for the Census, you might now qualify for benefits.

We'll have to wait and see when people start applying. Let us all know.

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

My DH and I both worked as listers. Our CL has told us that he will be recommending us for the next phase. He said we will probably be called in June 2009 to start training in July or August 2009. I highly recommend that you talk to your CL about continued employment.

Thanks. I will talk to him next week. I have been bugging him almost everyday..one more thing won't hurt

 

[disney1990]

So, to all the new address canvassers, how's it going?

It been a long week and it's only Tuesday.

We were assigned an AA yesterday that was supposed to have about 700 HUs in it. Well, it had a huge apartment project listed in it which was across the street. I spent hours and hours just "do not exist"ing all those apartments and we ended up finishing the AA by the end of the first day.

Last night, my DH and I were assigned an AA that has over 100 housing units in it. We have done almost 600, but we have added so many new addresses so far, it will probably be 1200 before we are finished.

I'm soooo tired tonight -- walking around for 8 hours a day, is so tiring. I told a friend of mine that it is like going to Disney World, but not having any rides to ride. I think we have 2, maybe 3 more weeks before our group will be out of AAs.

 

[C.Ann]

I worked the office end of it years ago - and I have to say I hated it.. The pay was decent enough, but what they neglected to tell us was that at certain times there would be mandatory OT - no if's, ands, or buts about it.. For many people that was a problem (myself included) because they were working opposite hours of their spouses; attending school; etc..

I remember the first day it was announced in this huge room.. Things got very, very ugly.. There was no way I could do the OT, so I had to quit..

 

[GOOFY4DONALD]

I worked the office end of it years ago - and I have to say I hated it.. The pay was decent enough, but what they neglected to tell us was that at certain times there would be mandatory OT - no if's, ands, or buts about it.. For many people that was a problem (myself included) because they were working opposite hours of their spouses; attending school; etc..

I remember the first day it was announced in this huge room.. Things got very, very ugly.. There was no way I could do the OT, so I had to quit..

This is why I DO NOT want to work in the office. I enjoy taking my kids to school working all day and picking them up. I can work in the evening or a few hors on the weekend if I need to finish but I can also take a LONG lunch and go to my kids school functions.