So I finished my census job training today

[Ohio Joe]

I have now been trained to be a crew leader :D Next week we prepare for training the enumerators we will have on our team (12-16 each), then we start gathering data from those that did not send in the census. Some interesting notes from the training:

Our group was trained first for two objectives, first, to get data from military bases "in case we need them to escort us"... WTF? No explanation given even when asked. Second, to go to off campus housing and get student data before they leave.

Wicked stress that overtime is forbidden. They told us that the 2000 census people abused overtime and pissed off a lot of people so handing in a time sheet with overtime WILL get you fired unless you have written permission before hand. Written permission for overtime will not be given.

Privacy of the data collected. This is a big concern and they are very serious about keeping data private.

Safety. While no particular group was mentioned, keeping yourself and your enumerators safe is a very real concern with this census. The police are to be called and events documented any time someone feels threatened.

I'm in MA, so I do not expect to encounter many freepers/teabaggers but... If I do, I think that is some paper work I'll enjoy filling out :D

[Oceansaway]

1. stay safe...n/t

[Ohio Joe]

3. Thanks, I will - nt

[elleng]

2. and you'll share with us, right? (NOT privacy stuff; freep/teab.)

Enjoy!

[Ohio Joe]

4. Should it happen... heh, definitely :)

To be honest though, I'm not expecting any incidents with the towns I have, very blue... and as much as I would love to have some teabagger arrested, I would rather have a boring and quiet tour and simply get the count.

[doc03]

5. Be careful out there I have heard a couple teabagger

types around here talking trash on what they were going to do if those govment people step on their property. These people are so nutty they think the census is something new Obama has come up with to confiscate their guns. Do you go out by yourself? Are you permitted to carry a weapon?

[Ohio Joe]

7. I will not go out alone

I'm a crew leader, I train/supervise the people that gather the data. As part of my job, I will rotate going out with my crew and observe them doing their jobs and give them feedback but I will gather no data, just verify forms and process it. The enumerators (the people that go door to door and gather data from people that did not send in their census forms) will do a lot of their work alone though. I will review the areas they are to be sent into and am authorized to not assign any area I feel may not be safe. The enumerators are authorized to refuse to go anywhere they feel may not be safe without reprisal. The census would rather an enumerator told me they skipped an assignment because they did not feel safe then have them go into an unsafe situation... A special re-interview group will be formed to take care of those places later. Carrying weapons was not covered but from what we are told that we are to back away from ANY confrontation right away and call the police.

[nosmokes]

6. Mrs Nosmokes is a census employee and y'all are working for idiots...

She was tasked w/ enumerating the homeless, and the original plan was to go out to homeless encampments between 1:00 am and 7:00am to 'catch' them at home. I don't know WTF the jeenyus was that thinks just because someone is on hard times it's OK to barge into their home at 3 0'clock in the fucking morning to get them counted, but I bet that same twit would be highly offended if I came banging on his door in the wee hours of the morning and scaring the shit outta his kids and ruining his sleep to pose ten questions to him, regardless of how non-intrusive they may be.

[Ohio Joe]

8. I'm not shocked

We were told that the homeless had already been counted but no details. I am not at all surprised that the people on the low end of the income meter were treated badly.

[lib2DaBone]

21. Oh My..sneaking up on homeless camps at 3 am?

Not a good sign....

[pinboy3niner]

9. Wishing you a "boring and quiet" tour

Thanks for your intelligent account of your experience so far. Good luck, and stay safe . . . :thumbsup:

[Ohio Joe]

10. Thank you and welcome to DU

:hi:

[pinboy3niner]

14. Thankyou for the welcome, OJ!

[SoCalDem]

11. ..."in case we need them to escort us"... standard operating procedure on bases

they don;t just let people onto bases, and allow them to wander around at will :)

[Ohio Joe]

13. I understand that but....

That was not the impression we got in training. It was more that we "may" need the military to escort us during our rounds of interviews with the public... We could not get an answer on what our instructors meant during training but talking among'st ourselves during breaks it made us a bit nervous as the ... worried... evasion of a direct answer seemed to indicate military assistance off base.

Honestly, I am unclear and only know for certain they are at the top of the list to be counted but it stuck out like a sore thumb and bothered all of us.

[CaliforniaPeggy]

12. My dear Ohio Joe...

It sounds like a great job, and I think they've covered all the bases...

Have fun, get some fresh air, and stay safe!

:hug:

[Ohio Joe]

15. Thanks Peggy!

After almost two years without work, I find myself in a familiar position that I am enjoying. Since my first job, I have always found myself quickly becoming the "go to guy" and a valued employee, leaving for another job at my own desire. I have become familiar with having ones livelihood outsourced and it is not pleasant. It feels good to once again be in a position where I feel I can make a difference.

They gave us several tests, which... heh, I test very well, I have awesome short term memory and tend to finish, by far first, and score perfect :D We had our closed book final this afternoon, 20 questions, 45 minutes, I did it in 7 minutes and scored perfect, heh, I love that shit :D

I've never had a problem finding a job before... It was always jobs chasing after me but now... Crap, only two interviews in two years (and both wanted to hire me but the jobs were eliminated before they could), no one is hiring. This, at least gives me some breathing room to keep looking.

Thank you for all your support the last two years Peggy, it has meant a lot!

[CaliforniaPeggy]

16. I'm really happy for you, Joe!

And you know I will always be here for you, sweetie...

:hug:

[Kat45]

17. I've been doing my census work for the past couple of weeks

I've been enumerating group living quarters--nursing homes, group homes, etc. We'll be done with it in the next week but then I will be able to work in the main census office in my area processing returned forms from the universities. I believe training will be starting in the next couple of weeks for enumerators to go around to houses of people who did not return their census forms. I'm not particularly psyched about this work, but the money is good and I've also been out of work for over a year.

[eridani]

18. I just finished with that job

On the morning of April 1st, it was raining pretty hard, so we didn't locate people in encampment areas. Homeless shelters and group homes were reasonably easy. If people weren't able to deal with an interview, it worked fine to get their info from the staff.

[proteus_lives]

19. I start my enumerator training on the 26th.

In Indiana. It should be fun.

[UTUSN]

20. There's nothing like PUBLIC SERVICE!1 n/t

[lib2DaBone]

22. Very Sad... this is the only work available to qualified workers in America..

I don't know.. it seems census workers are taking a chance... the Tea Baggers and Right Wing Whackos would not hesitate to harm (what they believe - is a government worker.)

If a census worker gets shot or injured... do they have hospitilization or any medical care? No.. I don't think so.

[Ohio Joe]

24. Yes, we do

We were told that if we are injured in any way while on the job all medical bills will be paid, nothing out of pocket.

[Nikki Stone1]

23. Do you have a taser?

Seriously, stay safe. :scared: