In Nov 2009, someone at a local library gave me a "jobs at the census" card. I called the 1-800 # listed on the card, then got referred to the county office. I was told that I had to come in to take a test. I did that, along with about 75 other people. I waited for my results, was told that I "passed". I was told "I would be called". I took the "supervisor" test at the end of the next month. I was told that I "passed" that, as well. I asked what happened next, & was told to "wait for a call". I received a call in the middle of February 2010, for a 1-day training course in the middle of March, to work as a Question Assistance Center Rep., at various county libraries, greeting the public, answering any questions about the Census form, privacy concerns, assistance with foreign-language speakers, assistance with the form itself, providing forms for people who had lost, misplaced or not received a form via mail. I asked if I could receive training earlier, so I could start work earlier. I attended a very crowded, rushed 1-day training session & received job materials the next week, driving 120 miles round trip. I began part-time, 6 days per week in March. In April, that phase of the Census ended, and I requested to be extended into another area. In April, I began working in the Census County Ofc. 3rd shift "full-time" midnight to 8:30 am, as an Admin clerk. Duties involve using the computer to enter data, do payroll, filing, math, Word, Excel, occasionally answering the phone, routing calls, making training calls for other departments, anything clerical. The first month, there was 3 wks solid of "mandatory overtime". Then, we began getting 2 days off per week. New workers were hired. Almost immediately, 99% of them were laid off or quit for lack of work. Everyone was told that "last hired, first fired". After 2 weeks, 3rd shift was eliminated, and approx 15 people were transferred to day shift or mid shift. The 2nd phase of the census will begin shortly, and all Admin shifts' hours were drastically cut until this starts. When anyone protests, we are told that "we were never promised 40 hrs per week".
