August 19, 2020
(Editor’s Note: The following dispatch was submitted by a Census worker who requested anonymity to share it with the community).
OK, so I am all qualified, trained, tested and confirmed. I finish the last test of 15 questions, perfectly. I figure, if we are so behind and we have only 6 weeks, there should be plenty of work. (On the news last night they showed AOC and Maloney- two Reps from NYC, talking about how low our response rate is in NYC- barely 51%)
I had done what was asked. I put in available work hours, including today for 12-3pm (Sundays are a % bonus for working). It is raining (forecast last night) and I want to see what enumerating is all about. I figured, a Sunday is a good day for a short familiarizing run.
I am supposed to get assignments sent to my phone between midnight and 7 am. I am up everyday around 7. I wake, it is raining (as expected) and shower. I prepared my coffee. I go to the phone to see what work I was given- hoping it is close to my home- in case- IN CASE one has to use a bathroom! In the world of Covid- public bathrooms are frightening- IF you could find one. (stores and places like Starbucks are only open for pick ups etc.) Things are NOT normal now. Who wants to be so far away from home with no option for a bathroom over hours. Who wants to attempt a public one with so many possibilities of exposure?- if one could find one open.
I hit the ‘home’ button on phone and see a message saying “You have not received census work for 8/16. Not enough workload.” HUH??? Are you kidding me? NOT enough caseload? If we are so behind and they cut the time back to September 30- barely 6 weeks away….. and they are sending out emails about bonus pay for clearing a % of caseloads (applies Aug 9-29), what the fuck is going on?
To my knowledge when I spoke with my CFS (census field supervisor) on Aug 12, he had just gotten trained, and had just started getting his enumerators assigned……so I am guessing there aren’t many people walking around my neighborhood, or any neighborhood if they just started training people, to do the work….. I know for real that my building alone should be on the list because unlike 10 years ago, we now have over 40 hotel apartments who could not have answered this time, but did a decade ago, because they had residents. The same would apply to many buildings in my neighborhood that have turned many apartments into hotels etc….
It is all so strange. PLUS a rainy day is likely a good day to find people at home. Was it because I only offered 3 hours? If we are so behind, that shouldn’t matter. Every effort matters, right? There must be thousands of people/units having not answered….