Representative visits the Opinion and clarifies doubts about the process in which, he indicates, everyone should participate
We are exactly 155 days after the beginning of April 1, the population count in the United States.
And after reaching the conclusion that the question about citizenship will not be included in the questionnaire, now the important thing is that the community participates in its entirety.
"The Census doesn't care what your immigration status is," Patricia Ramos, a representative of the federal Census agency in the western part of the country, said this week during her visit to La Opinión.
And he stressed that it does not matter if the person is in the United States as a student, diplomat or if he is a permanent resident or not, "if the person lives, sleeps and works here (in the country), you need to be counted in the Census."
Ramos said that there are many doubts especially at the border due to recent caravans but even refugees must be counted.
"Most likely, they will be living in the United States for the time being and therefore occupy the same services as the others," he explained.
Do you want to avoid being knocked on the door?
The first invitation to participate in the Census will be made nationally by postal mail in mid-March 2020.
After that, "for the first time in history, the Census can be completed by telephone and online," said the representative of the federal agency.
Ramos added that if there is no response, two more postcards will arrive as a reminder and that a third communication will be to receive the questionnaire in hard copy to answer in the most traditional way that it is by mail.
“If until mid-April, you have not responded. In May is when the knocks begin at the door, ”he says.
Another thing that can cause a census taker to visit your home is to send an incomplete form by mail. If it is not filled out completely by Internet, the application will not be processed.
Extra income to help the community
Before starting the count, the Census Bureau seeks to hire temporary staff nationwide. The period to “recruit censists,” as indicated on the Census portal, is from October to January 2020.
If you are interested, you must be at least 18 years of age, be a United States citizen and have a valid Social Security number; as well as an email.
Other requirements include: completing the application, passing a criminal background check, committing to completing training, being available to work flexible hours – which may include mornings, afternoons and / or weekends – and have a valid driver's license and access to a car.
The Census portal indicates that the training is paid and that the expense of the miles is reimbursed, that the payment is weekly and the amount depends on the state and county in which you are going to perform.
For example, in Los Angeles County, the salary is between $ 17 and $ 21 per hour.
“There are more than 500,000 that we recruit to be interviewers in case those people are busy to knock on the doors of the homes of those who did not fill out the custionnaire,” said Patricia Ramos.
To apply for a job in the Census office for the 2020 count you can call 1 (855) 562-2020 or visit 2020census.gov/jobs
To consider
Census workers will never ask you for your Social Security number, bank account details and / or credit cards.
Nor can they request money or any kind of donation, nor can they ask questions – in person or by phone – to obtain your maternal last name.
The people who work in the Census take an oath in order to keep the information they will obtain from the community in a confidential manner. If it is discovered that the worker misused personal data, he is subject to a five-year sentence in a federal jail and a fine of $ 250,000.
The Census helps determine how many seats your state will have, in this case California, in Congress; In addition to knowing how to distribute 675,000 million dollars in federal funds nationwide each year.
