Local census office needs 2,000 workers

The official census date is less than two months away, but the Columbus, Ind., office is looking for job applicants to fill 2,000 spots to help count the state’s population.

Bill Morris, manager of the Columbus census office, said it started hiring about a year ago. Since then, it has hired about 100 people.

In Monroe County, about 900 people will still be hired within the next couple of months.

The Columbus office oversees 15 counties, including Monroe County, Morris said. The group estimates how many staff members it needs in each area based on the previous census.

So far, the new employees are working as clerks or are being trained as crew leaders. They are currently helping people in places such as nursing homes, hospitals and prisons complete the census.

“We are just starting our operations,” Morris said.

The main reason why they haven’t reached the desired number of workers is because not enough people have applied for the jobs, he said.

The application process consists of a multiple-choice test and criminal background check. Applicants must also show two forms of identification.

Although the office is in Columbus, testing can be done in Bloomington’s City Hall Showers Building at 401 N. Morton St.

Jim Accurso, the Indiana census media specialist at the Chicago regional office, said there are still many recruiting efforts happening throughout the state.

“There are some areas where recruiting efforts have gone better than others,” Accurso said.

In Indianapolis, the group has only met 30 percent of its employee recruitment goal, Accurso said.

Once applicants are selected, they will be trained throughout March and April, Morris said. People will start working in May.

Some of their duties will include going door-to-door in their neighborhoods to help people fill out the census.

The pay will vary from $12 to $15 per hour, depending on assigned duties.

The job will last for eight weeks, depending on how many people are hired and how fast the census taking is done, Morris said.

Although the efforts to get everyone counted for the census will begin soon, Accurso said there is not a specific deadline for applicants to apply for jobs.

“There is no deadline until they reach our recruiting goals,” Accurso said.