Census Bureau trying to hire 1,300 area temp workers

story by Marla Cantrell
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With an 8.3% the unemployment rate in the Fort Smith metro area, you’d think it would be easy to fill open positions, but that’s not the case for the Springdale office of the Census Bureau.

Lillie Aguilar, who serves as a local supervisor for the Census Bureau, said the agency is struggling to come up with enough workers to complete the 2010 census.

“Our problem right now is that we know it’s important for everyone to be counted, but we don’t have enough counters,” Aguilar said. “Crawford County and Sebastian County are way, way low on the proposed amount of people who should have been hired by this time.”

The Springdale office, which oversees the northwest section of the state, including Sebastian and Crawford County, will hire another 1,300 workers. Those looking for the $11.25 per-hour jobs can go to the Van Buren Adult Education Center on Wednesdays between 3 and 6 p.m. to take the 30 minute employment test. The tests are also given at 10 a.m. on Saturdays at Citizens Bank at Northridge in Van Buren.

Aguilar said the agency has extended the hiring deadline through the second week in May in order to find enough workers to fill the vacant positions.

“The minimum requirements are passing the entrance exam, a completed application, a favorable background check and proper identification.” Aguilar explained. “The pay rates go from $8.50 to $11.25, plus 55 cents for each mile driven. You can work as many as 40 hours per week, if you’d like.”

There are a few clerical positions available; however, the majority of the jobs will involve contacting residents who haven’t yet completed their census forms. So far, 70% of Van Buren residents have returned the census forms, which is higher than the state average of 65%. Nationally, that number is about the same as Van Buren’s, at 69%. Bella Vista, however, is ahead of most areas, with an 80% compliance rate.

Aguilar isn’t sure why the jobs haven’t been snapped up, but suspects it could be that potential workers fear the required test. She said there is a practice test available on the Census Bureau Web site. She is encouraging those who are out of work, and especially college students coming home for the summer, to apply.

The work will continue until all those not responding to the mail-in census forms have been contacted.