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A6 U.S. NEWS
Friday 8 November 2019
In tight market, Census plans to hike pay in some places

By MIKE SCHNEIDER to handle 600,000 respon-
Associated Press dents and, if needed, up
ORLANDO, Fla. (AP) — to 1 million people with the
Faced with a tight labor help of backup systems,
market, U.S. Census Bu- said Michael Thieme, an
reau officials said Thursday assistant director at the bu-
they plan to raise wages reau. Census Bureau direc-
for census workers in some tor Steve Dillingham said
areas and make it easier next year's national head
for applicants to get fin- count was "on mission, on
gerprinted for background target and on budget." But
checks. some committee members
Bureau officials told mem- said they were worried he
bers of the National Advi- was being too optimistic,
sory Committee on Racial, given hiring and budget
Ethnic and Other Popula- challenges.
tions that low unemploy- Separately Thursday, law-
ment was making it chal- makers in the Congressio-
lenging in some commu- nal Asian Pacific American
nities to hire up to 500,000 Caucus sent a letter to
temporary workers needed Facebook requesting more
to survey households dur- information on what it plans
ing next year's 2020 Census. to do to stop disinformation
The bureau tested the job being spread on the 2020
market in late summer Census. It was the latest
and early fall when it hired expression of concern by
32,000 temporary workers U.S. Census Bureau Director Steven Dillingham speaks at an event launching the 2020 Census lawmakers about how so-
to help verify addresses Statistics in Schools program on Monday, Oct. 28, 2019, in Memphis, Tenn. cial media may be used to
ahead of the 2020 count. Associated Press prevent participation. On
The bureau encountered such as white supremacy Monday, five dozen Demo-
Charges: Chinese surveillance higher than expected lev- groups, the bureau can cratic lawmakers wrote a
goods illegally sold to U.S. els of dropout and no-show only flag people with arrest letter to Twitter, asking how
it would combat the threat.
rates that officials blamed records, he said.
on inconvenient finger- "In every census, we have The bureau on Thursday
print locations, inadequate people who pop up do- unveiled a series of public
follow-up with applicants ing things not in line with service announcements
and uncompetitive wages the mission," Fontenot said. to bring awareness to the
in rural areas, said Albert "They're quickly released." count. Such announce-
Fontenot, an associate di- The committee covered a ments, also known as
rector at the bureau. wide range of issues with PSAs, are targeted to spe-
For the next wave of hiring, Census Bureau officials cific communities, such as
the bureau will increase Thursday, including data Spanish-speakers, African
wages by $1.50 an hour in privacy, advertising, fight- Americans, households
U.S. Attorney Richard P. Donoghue announces charges
against Aventura Technologies, Thursday, Nov. 7, 2019, in some places and allow ap- ing misinformation, fund- with young children, Native
the Brooklyn borough of New York. plicants to get fingerprint- ing, messaging in hard-to- Americans, Alaska natives,
Associated Press ed at post offices. The pay count communities and Puerto Ricans and people
By TOM HAYS government, emails and for the part-time work cur- guarding against hacking. living in Hawaii. PSAs for
communities
are
Associated Press other evidence from the rently ranges from $13.50 to Even though a question other
NEW YORK (AP) — A Long investigation showed "in- $30 an hour. The bureau so championed by the Trump planned for next year.
The bureau will start a se-
Island firm sold tens of mil- dividuals in China were far has 1 million applicants administration about citi-
lions of dollars in Chinese- well aware of what was but is hoping to get anoth- zenship won't be on the ries of media buys in Janu-
made surveillance and going on," Donoghue er 1.7 million people apply- questionnaire since the ary with a goal of raising
other sensitive security said. ing for the temporary jobs, U.S. Supreme Court nixed awareness. In March, the
equipment to customers, The equipment made in bureau officials said. it in July, the bureau plans campaign will encourage
including the U.S. military China and sold by Aven- The bureau also has been to ask whether there's a people to respond to the
to use on aircraft carriers, tura "as purportedly U.S.- working with industrial psy- misperception that the questionnaire, and by the
by falsely claiming the made has been installed chologists to help decide question is still on the form, end of April the message
will remind people to fill
goods were manufac- on dozens of Army, Navy which type of backgrounds in a survey it plans to con-
tured in America, federal and Air Force bases, De- would eliminate someone duct on participants' atti- out their form or they may
prosecutors said Thurs- partment of Energy fa- from being hired to knock tudes, said Gina Walejko, a receive a home visit from
day. cilities and, among other on the doors of people bureau statistician. a Census worker, said Alex
The fraud that prosecu- places, on Navy aircraft who don't respond to the For the first time ever, the Hughes, executive director
tors allege by Aventura carriers," prosecutors said questionnaire. While past Census Bureau is encour- of VMLY&R, a marketing
agency hired by the bu-
Technologies Inc. raised in the criminal complaint. arrests for traffic accidents aging respondents to an-
"a grave concern" over Of the $88 million Aven- or marijuana possession swer the questionnaire on- reau.
cyber security, U.S. Attor- tura made since 2010, might get a pass, "we don't line, although respondents "People aren't always ea-
ney Richard Donoghue $20 million came from want people with violent can also answer by tele- ger to have someone
said. federal government con- crimes or house break-ins phone or by paper form. knocking on their door,"
Though there was no al- tracts promising it would in their background," Fon- The bureau's computer Hughes said. "It will be ...
legation of breaches provide only U.S.-made tenot said. system is expecting more 'Please respond now be-
When it comes to people than 120,000 online users at fore someone goes knock-
involving the Chinese products, they said.q
with unsavory affiliations, any given time, but it is built ing on your door.'"q