WINSTON-SALEM, N.C.—
The Census Bureau plans to hire more than 4,000 people to work part-time out of three Piedmont offices for up to four months in the spring of 2010.The Winston-Salem office opened to great fanfare Tuesday. Government officials from towns in Forsyth, Rockingham and Stokes counties were present to show their support for what the office means to a state suffering from high unemployment.
"What we have in this state and community are small communities, and that's where the rubber meets the road and that's where we are looking for help and assistance," said Dave Plyler, a Forsyth County Commissioner.
The Census Bureau expects to hire about 1,500 workers out of the Winston-Salem office. An additional 1,500 will be hired for the already-opened Greensboro location, and about 1,000 for the soon-to-be-opened Asheboro office.
"The majority of (the census workers) work in the field and work in their neighborhoods and go to houses that didn't send a census form in," explained Wayne Hatcher, a Census 2010 official.
Most of the jobs will run from spring through summer and pay $13.50 an hour plus mileage reimbursement for people who drive as part of their job. The seasonal workers will work between 20 and 35 hours per week, and there are no benefits.
"We have people who want to work, as I mentioned, and would like to find a job, and this will give them that opportunity," said Jimmy Walker, a Stokes County Commissioner.
The decennial census will take place on April 1, 2010. It is administered by the federal government, but requires support at the state and local level. Individual localities also establish complete count committees, in order to coordinate participation in the census.
The Census Bureau will be hiring for 24,000 jobs throughout North Carolina beginning in January 2010. Job seekers can find application information at www.2010censusjobs.gov or by calling (866) 861-2010. The information is also available via the Employment Security Commission or JobsNOW.nc.gov.
The Census will also determine whether North Carolina will receive an additional seat in the U.S. House of Representatives. North Carolina narrowly received a 13th congressional district after the 2000 Census by margin of approximately 800 people.
