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SANDWICH GENERATION: MN gets ready for 2020 Census, temporary workers needed

Thousands of people to be hired for the big state headcount!

MINNEAPOLIS, Minnesota — Every ten years, the U.S. Census Bureau works to count every person in the United States, including everyone living in Minnesota. April 1, 2020 is Census Day, the due date for Americans to take part in the decennial national headcount. The U.S Census helps determines each state’s representation in Congress, how funds are spent for schools, hospitals, roads, and provides information to guide many decisions made by government agencies, private businesses and institutions.

AARP has long been involved in informing people about the census, including the fact that the headcount is labor intensive, to the tune of hiring 7,500 employees in Minnesota, which will require 40,000 applications to fill. In the past, retired adults have made up a good portion of those who work in the decennial count of Americans, often as enumerators who go door-to-door in neighborhoods.

The census, which is mandated by the U.S. Constitution and conducted by the U.S. Census Bureau, is not only used to draw the lines of legislative districts, it is also used to determine how to distribute government funds to state and local governments. The resulting count will guide the distribution of billions of dollars to Minnesota’s communities, determine political representation for the next decade, and provide data that shapes how Minnesota’s policymakers and business leaders decide to invest public and private resources. A complete and accurate census is a vital resource for everyone.

To prepare for the 2020 census, the U.S Census Bureau is hiring thousands of recruits to work temporary jobs across the nation. Jobs within the census vary from working in the field canvassing, updating maps, doing follow up interviews with citizens in your community, or working in the office as a clerk doing administrative tasks or office operation supervisor, who oversees the field staff. The job begins March 2020 through July. The Census is recruiting now due to the process of getting future employees through training and other screening processes. To be able to work for the census you must be:

  • 18 years old.
  • Valid Social Security
  • Be a U.S Citizen
  • Complete an application and answer assessment questions
  • Be registered with the Selective Service System
  • Pass a Census-performed criminal background check
  • Commit to completing training
  • Be available to work flexible hours

Many older Americans take on Census jobs after formal retirement from a full-time career. But if you already have a job, you can still work for the Census. Your current job cannot clash with the hours you work for the Census nor create any conflicts of interest. If you’re a veteran who served on active duty in the U.S military, you may be eligible for veterans’ preference. To learn more about becoming a census working and apply, click here.

Or, call 1-855-562-2020, and select option 3, to find out about jobs in your area.

AARP is the nation’s largest nonprofit, nonpartisan organization dedicated to empowering people 50 and older to choose how they live as they age. With a nationwide presence and nearly 38 million members, AARP strengthens communities and advocates for what matters most to families: health security, financial stability and personal fulfillment.

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