Census Workers
Every ten years, United States Census workers conduct an in-depth survey of American households. The number of people in a household, economic status, housing trends, ethnicity, location, and employment data is collected for use by the federal government in determining how federal monies will be distributed.
The US Census Bureau employs approximately 4,300 people. Because many of these employees have access to sensitive information while carrying out their work responsibilities, each employee with access to personal data is required by law to maintain confidentiality throughout their lifetime. Possible penalties for breaking the law include hefty fines and a prison sentence.
Perhaps the most publicly visible group of census workers are census takers. When the ten year census is underway, the Census Bureau hires hundreds of thousands of temporary workers to visit addresses in their local neighborhoods and personally document census information. Temporary census workers may be any of the following:
- Seniors
- Students
- Full-time workers looking for extra income
- Anyone interested in temporary, part-time work
A census taker may visit an address when a census form has not been returned or for quality assurance. If no one is home, the census worker will leave a door hanger that explains the visit and includes a contact number. The worker will visit a home up to three times in an attempt to record census information.
Census takers are typically members of the community. They assist the Census Bureau in garnering the most accurate data possible. Census workers who visit homes will always carry identification with them verifying that they are working for the US Census Bureau.
Accurate census data is an important tool for the federal government. Local communities depend on federal dollars for services such as transportation, schools, senior programs, road and bridge maintenance, and other local programs. Census workers are a vital part of the process of retrieving and processing data while maintaining the privacy of all census respondents.
