NORTH COAST – According to recent data released by the Census Bureau, times are tough all over the country. However, job prospects are bright at the Santa Rosa Early Local Census Office (ELCO), where staffs are preparing for 2010 Census operations.

The Santa Rosa ELCO is gearing up for its first major 2010 Census operation — address canvassing.

Starting in early 2009, hundreds of census workers will check and verify addresses for the Census Bureau’s Master Address File, which will be used to mail out the census questionnaires in 2010.

Santa Rosa ELCO manager Ford Carlberg pointed out that, in an economic downturn, many people are looking for work, either to pay their bills and keep food on the table, or just for some extra family income.

“We offer great pay, flexible hours, paid training and a wonderful opportunity to contribute to the community,” Carlberg said. “We also want to hire local people to work right in their own neighborhoods, especially in Northern California counties, where the number of applicants has been low.”

For Northern California, the Santa Rosa ELCO manages 2010 Census operations in the counties of Butte, Colusa, Del Norte, Glenn, Humboldt, Lake, Lassen, Marin, Mendocino, Modoc, Napa, Plumas, Shasta, Sierra, Siskiyou, Solano, Sonoma, Sutter, Tehama, Trinity, Yolo and Yuba.

The U.S. Constitution mandates that, every 10 years, we count every man, woman and child living in the United States on April 1, 2010, Census Day. To do that, the government needs to mobilize the largest nonmilitary workforce in U.S. History.

The Santa Rosa ELCO will need to hire approximately 1,100 workers required to carry out census operations between now and 2010.

Priority is given to U.S. citizens and employees must be at least 18 years old. They need to take a brief basic skills test as well as clear an FBI background check.

Residents of Northern California counties, as well as bilingual applicants, are strongly encouraged to apply.

All 2010 Census jobs are temporary, from field jobs lasting a few weeks to office jobs extending to 2010.

“Right now we need to hire people for these positions,” added Carlberg.

Salaries range from $11.50 per hour for address listers, crew leader assistants at $11.50 per hour, crew leaders at $13 per hour and $14.50 per hour for field operations supervisors.

Interested applicants can get more information by calling toll-free 1-866-861-2010 or online at www.2010censusjobs.gov.

Article 1, Section 2 of the U.S. Constitution mandates an actual enumeration of the U.S. population for the purpose of the apportionment of congressional seats. Each year, more than $300 billion in federal funds are disbursed to communities based solely on census population figures.

In addition, state and local government agencies, tribal governments, businesses, academia, nonprofit organizations and members of the general public rely on census data to make informed decisions.

As with all 2010 Census information, the address information collected by the Census Bureau is confidential by law (Title 13, U.S. Code, Section 9).

All Census Bureau employees, including the census workers who collect the address information, have taken an oath to protect confidentiality and are subject to jail term, a fine — or both — for disclosing any information that could identify a respondent or household.

For more information on the 2010 Census, visit http://www.census.gov/2010census/.

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