The U.S. Census Bureau has hundreds of part-time job openings seeking census workers to help count each person living in Southwest Colorado.
Anyone 18 or older could make $16 an hour this spring and summer walking or driving around La Plata County to ensure everyone at every residence is counted. The information gathered is required by the U.S. Constitution and helps determine federal spending and representation in the House of Representatives.
Households that do not complete a census form may be visited by a census-taker beginning in May. The Census Bureau plans to hire about 500,000 people nationwide.
The job offers flexible hours, paid training, weekly pay and reimbursement for millage, U.S. Census Bureau spokeswoman Laurie Cipriano wrote in a news release.
Applicants in La Plata County are not required to have a vehicle, but access to personal transportation could make it easier for people to find work, a local census bureau recruitment assistant said. People are encouraged to apply now – a dayslong training is required before anyone can begin working in April.
Census-takers are responsible for contacting people at residences who have not completed a census online, by phone or by mail. Most residences across the country will receive an invitation in the mail by April 1 to complete the census.
Training includes education about the history of the census, safety advice for census-takers and information about privacy requirements, the local census bureau recruitment assistant said. All census-takers must take an oath to not share private information and will be reimbursed 57 cents per mile driven for work.
The application process takes about 20 to 30 minutes to complete and requires an email address. Anyone interested in applying may visit www.census.gov/jobs.
bhauff@durangoherald.com
