I attended and passed 4 days of training to become a Census Crew Leader employee in St. Louis, Missouri. I wasn't told when I was offered the job that I would have to train up to 20 enumerators. I also wasn't told that only 7 slots were available in my class of 11 for the position in question. Despite passing all tests with flying colors and showing up early for training I was made an assistant to someone else in my class. On the final days of training I was told by Norvin Porter that I would not be able to work in his CLD due to moving outside of the orginal area that I applied for the job in. He stated he would follow up and have me reassigned. That was the last time I heard from him. I followed up with my trainer, Lois Laffterty-Gude and she stated she would find out and call me back. She never did. Over the next week I began to make calls on my own to the Census Regional Office In Kansas City, the EEO office in Washington and the local office located at 9901 Watson Road. I received vague responses and was told on more than one occasion that someone would follow up and no one ever did. More than a week after my initial training I received a call to come to work in the very same district I was originally told that I would not be able to work in. I feel that I have been discriminated against because I was the only black student in my training class and also the only one who despite passing all testing with flying colors did not get assigned work as promised. There has been a complete lack of contact on behalf of my trainer, her manager and the main office in my area. I have missed over a week's pay and reduced my availability at my other job waiting for word on my reassignment. My phone calls have been met with empty promises. I have full documentation of all actions that have transpired, names and phone numbers contacted and Notices of Personnel Action sent from the Census Bureau Field Division in Kansas City, MO which are in direct violation of what I was told once I completed training. I am also in possession of training materials and official Census badges. I am an honest individual and would never use these documents for wrongdoing but someone else faced with a loss of income for a week in these dire times would not be so honest. I wonder just how often this happens? Is it normal to allow someone to complete training only to be told they cannot be assigned to work and also retain sensitive Census training and identification badges? This raises issues of security as well as discrimination in my view and I will seek any and all options to bring this to the attention of those in charge so that it does not happen again.
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