Job fairs will be held this weekend to find people to help count residents during the upcoming Census.
The fairs will be 11 a.m.-1 p.m. Friday at the Lincoln University student union, 10 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Capital Mall and 11 a.m.-2 p.m. Saturday at Missouri River Regional Library, Cole County Presiding Commissioner Sam Bushman said Tuesday.
“They need to find 600 workers, and I believe they have 240 right now,” Bushman said. “You have to be 18 or older and be able to work during the time period of May through September. You can work as many as 40 hours a week and make $17 an hour.”
The local Complete Count Committee is sponsoring these events. The CCC consists of local government representatives, community service providers, faith-based organizations, school districts, community groups and health care providers with a goal to increase the local accuracy of the 2020 Census.
Census forms should arrive in the mail around April 1. After 45 days, those who haven’t filled out the nine-question form will be visited by a census worker.
Those interested in working for the Census can apply at 2020census.gov/jobs.
Census workers can be identified by their official identification badges with their name and photo. Census workers also carry an official bag that displays the U.S. Census Bureau seal. To confirm if a person works as a neighborhood canvasser, visit census.gov/staffsearch.
Bushman said the CCC wants to assure residents answering the questions on the Census questionnaire is safe.
By law, the Census Bureau cannot share answers with anyone, not even another government agency. Census workers should never ask for a Social Security number, bank account or credit card numbers. They do not solicit donations, promise gifts or ask residents to pay money to complete the Census. The Census Bureau will not contact a person by email or phone.