What you need to know to become a census worker

Looking for part-time work with paid training, competitive pay and flexible hours? The U.S. Census Bureau might have a job for you.

The agency will train and hire nearly 500,000 workers nationwide to be census takers ahead of a national head count next spring.

These enumerators will go door-to-door within their communities collecting responses from people who don't respond to 2020 Census online, by phone or by mail. Most households will receive invitations in the mail to respond in March.

Regional census offices are recruiting workers - including students, retirees and seasonal employees - through job fairs at local public libraries, government offices, colleges, community centers and religious institutions. Fairs are scheduled from 10 a.m. to noon today at Batavia Public Library, 10 S. Batavia Ave., Batavia; 2 to 4 p.m. Saturday at Islamic Foundation North, 1751 S. O'Plaine Road, near Libertyville; and 6 to 8 p.m. Saturday at Islamic Community Center of Des Plaines, 480 Potter Road, Des Plaines.

Here's what you need to know to become a census worker and answers to basic questions about jobs:

• To be eligible, applicants must be at least 18 years old, have a valid Social Security number and be a U.S. citizen. There is no age cap.

• Application process takes about 30 minutes and requires answering assessment questions (some available in Spanish). An English proficiency test may also be required.

• Census takers must be able to speak, read and write in English, but those who are bilingual or multilingual are encouraged to apply. The bureau provides census questionnaire assistance in 13 non-English languages: Spanish, Chinese (Mandarin and Cantonese), Vietnamese, Korean, Russian, Arabic, Tagalog, Polish, French, Haitian Creole, Portuguese, and Japanese.

• A Census Bureau-performed criminal background check and a review of criminal records, including fingerprinting is required.

• Applicants must commit to completing training and be available to work flexible hours, including days, evenings and/or weekends.

• Most census jobs require employees to have access to a vehicle and a valid driver's license, unless public transportation is available, and access to a computer with internet and an email account to complete training.

• Most positions can last several weeks, but employment may end at any time or hours of work may be reduced if there is a lack of available work.

• Hourly pay rates for Cook, DuPage, Kane, Lake and McHenry counties range from $18 to $22.50. Temporary 2020 Census employees are paid weekly.

• Active duty military veterans who were separated under honorable conditions may be eligible for veterans' preference. For more information, visit the U.S. Office of Personnel Management Veterans' Preference website.

• Male applicants born after Dec. 31, 1959, must be registered with the Selective Service System or have a qualifying exemption.

• To find jobs nearby, call (855) 562-2020 and select option 3; when prompted, enter your ZIP code to be routed to your area census office.

• Selection process for census taker positions begins in January with paid training in March and April.

• Applicants stay in the pool for the duration of the 2020 Census. To apply, visit recruitment.2020census.gov.