Thread by @hansilowang

NEW: @uscensusbureau is facing 3 major challenges in hiring workers for #2020Census, @USGAO finds in new report:

1. Delayed background checks
2. Low unemployment
3. Language barriers

FULL REPORT👇
gao.gov/assets/710/700…

2. Completing background checks for #2020Census recruiting assistants, office operation supervisors, clerks, & partnership specialists "taking longer" than @uscensusbureau expected bc applicants didn't completely/accurately fill out required form, plus more checks are required👇

3. #2020Census job applicant pools are small because low unemployment rate and pay rates not competitive enough in some areas. @uscensusbureau did not meet goal of hiring 1,181 partnership specialists by May 1, for outreach to communities of color & other hard-to-count groups.

4. Some #2020Census job recruiters are having hard time finding people who are bilingual in English and other languages spoken by hard-to-count groups. Language barriers could make it hard to count those households given different "levels of comfort with government involvement."

5. @USGAO also found that @uscensusbureau doesn't "have goals and performance measures for evaluating its new training approach" for #2020Census workers.

6. As of June , the @uscensusbureau signed leases for 247 of the 248 area census offices it plans to open around the U.S. (I've emailed bureau's public information office about where that 1 remaining office is located.)

7. Commerce @SecretaryRoss, who oversees @uscensusbureau, told @USGAO that he agrees with their latest findings and recommendations for #2020Census recruiting, training and offices.

@SecretaryRoss @uscensusbureau @USGAO 8. UPDATE: Leases for all 248 area census offices for #2020Census were signed as of late June, @uscensusbureau tells me in statement. Last lease signed in June was for ACO in Rochester, Minn. -- one of 3 in Minnesota.

More on ACOs & map (via @USGAO)👇

npr.org/2019/03/12/702…