Back in March I started training to be a 2020 Census Enumerator. After I attended two days of in-person sessions, the Census Bureau suspended their operations due to COVID. Since that time I've received several communications gauging my interest in returning to the job when things started up again. Since I was being trained to visit group quarters (as opposed to individual houses) it felt safer, and I told them I would be on board. Last week I received a phone call from the woman who will be my supervisor with specific directions.
The first step happened on Friday, when I dug my Census bag out from the back of the closet, brushed off the dust, then drove to an office complex halfway across town to pick up supplies. When I arrived I found out that my parking pass wasn't waiting for me at the guard shack, but ten minutes later I had the official piece of paper and I was on my way. It was easy to find the correct visitor's parking lot and the building that held the auditorium I had been instructed to go to.
Inside the auditorium, the room was filled with folding tables spaced six feet apart. Someone greeted me and assigned me to a table. I could tell by its aroma that it had just been sterilized. My supervisor was trotting back and forth between multiple tables, but she stopped by long enough to greet me and hand me a packet of papers, including some forms to fill out and the Bureau's "best practices" for doing interviews in a socially-distant way.
As I was going through the paperwork, someone stopped by and gave me a bag holding several cloth face masks and a small bottle of hand sanitizer. When I was finished with the paperwork I stopped by the IT table to receive my official phone. I had to choose a passcode and a password to access the training and payroll apps. Right before I left I got a large box containing forms and office supplies that I'll need to do the job.
All of the training that I was doing in person has been moved online. Today I started going through it. Much was a repeat, but it was nice to have a refresher. Some time in the middle of next week I will be assigned some actual work. I'm looking forward to it.
Five years ago today: Life Is Like A Train Ride
Wow Kathy, that's a lot of things "to-do", it's good that you are looking forward to what comes next. Knowing you, you'll get it done perfectly. Wishing you all the best, my friend! Stay Safe!
ReplyDeleteThank you!
DeleteThat’s great news that things can get started again with precautions.
ReplyDeleteI agree.
DeleteThank you for doing this. I think it's one of the most important thing we do, figure out who we all are and where we live and should our tax dollars come back to work for us.
ReplyDeleteYes, there's a lot riding on the Census data.
DeleteYou must be happier getting to work. Good luck with all that.
ReplyDeleteI would definitely have backed out if I didn't think it was safe, but I do enjoy being busy out of the house.
DeleteI was kind of wondering how the census would work.
ReplyDeleteI think they're making some of it up as they go along :-)
DeleteThat will be interesting. Around here, anti government sentiment is so high, I think it'd be hard to get anyone to talk to a census taker.
ReplyDeleteWhen I did the job back in 2010 I spoke with several Tea Partiers who refused to give me more than just their name. I did what I could, then turned it over to my supervisor.
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