BC-1294 Field Representative Exit Questionnaire

Draft 7 (9-14-2009)

OMB No. 0607-0404: Approval Expires 02/29/2012
FORM BC-1294
(9-14-2009)

U.S. DEPARTMENT OF COMMERCE
Economics and Statistics Administration
U.S. CENSUS BUREAU

A. Field Representative Information
2. FR Code

1. RO
3. FR Name

CENSUS
FIELD REPRESENTATIVE (FR)
EXIT QUESTIONNAIRE

4. Telephone Number(s)

5. Effective Date of Separation
6. Reason for Separation (See Section F)

B. Record of Contact
Date/Time of Contact
Interviewer

(1)
Date

Start Time

Stop Time

(2)

Result of
Contact
(See Section C)

Interview
Type
(See Section D)

Comments

(3)

(4)

(5)

C. Result of Contact – Use to fill in column 3 above.
1
2
3
4
5

= Ring, no answer
= Line was busy
= Number was a FAX line
= Telephone disconnected
= Left message on answering machine/
voicemail
6 = Spoke with someone other
than respondent
a = left message for respondent
b = respondent not accepting calls

7 = Spoke with respondent
a = conducted interview
b = he/she will call back
c = asked to call back on different
phone number
d = respondent refused interview

D. Interview type – Use to
fill in Column 4 above.
1 = Completed interview
2 = Partial/Incomplete
Interview
3 = Non-Interview, Refusal
4 = Non-Interview, Other

8 = Other – Specify

E. If final interview type is Non-interview, Other –
please explain reason for noninterview.

F. Reason for Separation –
Use to fill item A6 above.
1
2
3
4

= Resignation
= Lack of work
= Term Expired
= Unsatisfactory
Performance
5 = Misconduct
6 = Retired
7 = Other

Script for Answering Machines/Nonrespondent: Hello, I’m [Your name] from the U.S. Census Bureau in Washington,
D.C. I’m calling to talk to [field representative’s first and last name] to ask a few questions about employment with the
Census Bureau. Please call me back at the following toll free number: 1–877–560–7370. Thank you. I look forward to
hearing from you.

USCENSUSBUREAU

[Telephone introduction]: Hello, I would like to speak with [FR’s first and last name]. Hello, I’m
from the U.S.
Census Bureau in Washington, D.C. We are concerned with the job satisfaction among our Field Representatives so we are interviewing
a sample of FRs who have recently left the Census Bureau. I would like to ask you a few questions about why you quit working for the
Census Bureau. This information is being collected to determine the reasons for turnover among Field Representatives, and will be used
to develop effective policies and procedures designed to retain Field Representatives and reduce turnover. Routine uses of this
information will be in accordance with the System of Records Notice that applies to this collection of information. The information will be
protected from disclosure under the Freedom of Information Act (5 U.S.C. section 552) and the Privacy Act (5 U.S.C. section 552a) to
the extent provided by law. This survey is voluntary and will only take about seven minutes. The OMB control number, 0607-0404
expires on 02/29/2012. The Census Bureau may not conduct or sponsor, and a person is not required to respond to, the information
collection unless it displays a currently valid OMB control number.
Section 1 – BACKGROUND
1. How long did you work for the Census Bureau?
(Mark (X) one box only.)

4a. Did the job meet your expectations? Mark (X) one box only.
1

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2
3
4
5
6
7
8

Less than 3 months
3 months to less than 6 months
6 months to less than one year
One year to less than 3 years
3 years to less than 6 years
6 years to less than 10 years
10 years or more
Quit during or right after training

2

b. What expectations didn’t it meet?

5.

[In the last five years,] on what surveys did you work?
Please answer "Yes or "No" after I read each survey
name. (Note if the respondent quit right after or during training, ask
which survey he/she was being trained on when he/she decided to
quit.) (Mark (X) one box for each item.)

2. What was it about this job that appealed to you and
made you apply initially?
(Mark (X) all that apply.)
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2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10

Like interacting with people/like that job involves working
with and talking to people
Like that job allow you to work in own community
Like setting own hours
Like flexibility of job
Like that job allows you to work independently
Like pay scale
Like that job is not an office job
Wanted to work for government
Nothing in particular, just needed a job
Other – Specify

Yes – Go to 5.
No – Go to 4b below.

Yes No
a. ACS – HU (American Community Survey –
Housing Units)
b. ACS – GQ (American Community Survey –
Group Quarters)
c. AHS (American Housing Survey)
d. CE (Consumer Expenditure Survey)
e. CPS (Current Population Survey)
f. NCVS (National Crime and Victimization Survey)
g. NHIS (National Health Interview Survey)
h. SIPP (Survey of Income and Program Participation)
i. SOC (Survey of Construction)
j. Other – Specify

3a. Did you participate in a pre-training observation of
actual interviewing before going to initial training?
(Mark (X) one box only.)
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2
3

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2

_______ Hours

7. How many hours would you have liked to work per
month on all surveys? (Enter a whole number.)
_______ Hours

Yes
No

FORM BC-1294 (9-14-2009)

2

6. On average how many hours did you work per month on
all surveys? (Enter a whole number.)

Yes – Go to 3b.
No – Go to 4a
Don’t know/Don’t remember – Go to 4a

b. Did participation in the pre-training observation help
provide you with a more realistic understanding of the
demands of the job?
(Mark (X) one box only.)

1

Page 2

Section 2 – REASONS FOR TURNOVER
8.

What was/were the reason(s) you left your job? (Do not
read the list below. Mark "Yes or "No" for each reason that best
describes the response given by the FR. When reasons provided
by the FR are too broad/general, probe to clarify and or explain the
reasons so you may check the appropriate box.)

A. AUTOMATION: HARDWARE PROBLEMS

8.

i1. Too much pressure to improve production rates
i2. Too much pressure to improve transmittal rates
i3. Too much pressure to improve response rates
i4. Too difficult to meet deadlines
i5. Unfair appraisal
i6. Did not like changes in the performance
appraisal process
i7. Not enough annual observations

Yes No

a1. Computer too slow
a2. Computer too heavy
a3. Poor battery life
a4. Carrying extra computer attachments

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

a5. Other – Specify

1

2

b5. Other – Specify

1

2

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2

1

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1

2

1

j1. Disliked interacting with hostile/unfriendly
respondents
j2. Difficulty finding someone home to interview
j3. Disliked trying to convince people to participate
k1. Too demanding
k2. Rude
k3. Did not provide support needed
k4. Disliked working for multiple supervisors
k5. Disliked way was talked to/treated by supervisor
k6. Discrimination
k7. Other – Specify

2

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2

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2

1

L1. Disliked asking personal/sensitive questions
L2. Thought survey was too long
L3. Didn’t believe respondent data was kept
confidential
L4. Other – Specify

2

1

2

1

2

m1. Locations were too dispersed
m2. Workload too heavy
m3. Workload too light
m4. Workload too inconsistent
m5. Did not like working on multiple surveys

F. HOURS
f1. Wanted full-time job
f2. Disliked night work
f3. Disliked weekend work
f4. Disliked working holidays
f5. Wanted fewer hours
f6. Wanted more hours, but less than full-time

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2

H. PAY
h1. Insufficient hourly pay
h2. Insufficient gross pay
h3. Supervisor wouldn’t approve overtime
h4. Insufficient reimbursement for miles
and expenses
FORM BC-1294 (9-14-2009)

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N. PERSONAL
n1. Retired
n2. Health
n3. Moved
n4. To go back to school
n5. Lack of transportation
n6. Job conflicted with other family and/or personal
obligations
n7. Job conflicted with other employment and/or
school schedules

G. NATURE OF THE JOB
g1. Disliked working in unsafe neighborhoods
g2. Wanted job with advancement
g3. Disliked traveling
g4. Disliked working alone
g5. Disliked telephone interviewing
g6. Disliked personal visit interviewing
g7. Difficulty using laptop
g8. Concerns of computer theft

2

1

M. WORKLOAD/ASSIGNMENTS

E. BENEFITS: CRITERIA FOR QUALIFYING
e1. Takes too long to qualify
e2. Unreasonable criteria to qualify

2

1

L. SURVEY/SURVEY QUESTIONS

D. BENEFITS: COST TOO MUCH
d1. Health
d2. Life
d3. Retirement

1

K. SUPERVISORS/OFFICE STAFF

C. BENEFITS: INADEQUATE
c1. Health
c2. Life
c3. Retirement
c4. Annual/Sick leave

Yes No

J. PROBLEMS WITH RESPONDENTS

B. AUTOMATION: SOFTWARE PROBLEMS
b1. Unable to correct known errors
b2. Inability to review completed cases
b3. Keeping track of multiple passwords
b4. Encryption software creating problems

Continued

I. PERFORMANCE

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

O. TRAINING
o1. Initial training overwhelming
o2. Initial training inadequate
o3. Too many different training materials
o4. Not enough refresher training
o5. Not enough on-the-job training opportunities
o6. Other – Specify

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

1

2

P. SECURITY AND CONFIDENTIALITY
p1. Difficulty following new data security procedures
p2. Increased pressure to safeguard the laptop
p3. Increased pressure to protect Personal
Identifiable Information (PII) and Title 13 data
(e.g., not able to keep case notes on paper)
Page 3

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2

Section 2 – REASONS FOR TURNOVER – Continued
13a. Ask question 13a only if more than one reason was checked in
question 8. Of the reasons you gave for leaving your job,
what was the most important reason? If you like, I can
read the reasons you gave back to you. (Enter reason
letter/number as appropriate from question 8 on the line below.)

Ask question 9 only if any box in 8c was answered
"Yes".
9. Why do you feel the benefits were inadequate? (Mark (X)
one box for each item.)
Yes No
1. Not enough leave earned
2. Not enough coverage provided
3. Payout inadequate

1

2

1

2

1

2

4. Other – Specify

1

2

5. Other – Specify

1

2

__________ Most important
b. Ask question 13b only if more than two (2) reasons were checked in
question 8. What was the second most important reason?
If you like, I can read the reasons you gave back to you.
(Enter reason letter/number as appropriate from question 8 on the
line below.)
__________ Second most important reason
Section 3 – GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARDS JOB
14. What did you like best about the job?

Ask question 10a and question 10b only if either
question 8h1 or question 8h2 was answered "Yes".
10a. Would an increase in pay per hour have caused you to
continue working for Census? (Mark (X) one box.)
1
2

Yes
No – Go to 11

15. The next set of questions ask about your first line
supervisor. In some cases it may have been a regional
office supervisor; in others a senior field representative.
Although you may have had more than one supervisor
(either regional office supervisor or SFR) and your
satisfaction may have varied for different supervisors, in
general, would you say that you were very satisfied,
somewhat satisfied, somewhat dissatisfied, or very
dissatisfied with . . . (Please read each item. Circle one
response for each item.)

b. What increase in pay per hour would have been enough
for you to continue working for Census? Please answer
yes or no after I read each item.
(Mark (X) one box for each item.)
Yes No
1. Less than one dollar
2. Between one and two dollars
3. Between two and three dollars
4. Between three and four dollars
5. More than four dollars

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VERY
SOMEWHAT SOMEWHAT
VERY
SATISFIED SATISFIED DISSATISFIED DISSATISFIED

Ask question 11 only if question 8L1 was answered "Yes".
11. You reported that asking sensitive or personal questions
was one of the reasons you left your job. Which
questions did you feel uncomfortable asking the
respondent? Please answer "Yes" or "No" after I read
each one. Mark (X) one box for each item.)
Yes No
1. Income
2. Drugs and alcohol
3. Health
4. Race/ethnicity

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2

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2

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2

1

2

5. Other – Specify

1

2

12a. In addition to the reasons already given, were there any
other aspects of the field representative’s position that
you really disliked which contributed to your decision to
leave the Census Bureau? (Mark (X) one box.)
1
2

Yes
No – Go to 13a

b. What were they? (Enter letter/number of additional reasons using
the letters/numbers from the question 8 series.)

FORM BC-1294 (9-14-2009)

a. The availability
of your
supervisor

1

2

3

4

b. Your
supervisor’s
ability to help
you solve
work-related
problems

1

2

3

4

c. Communication
between you
and your
supervisor

1

2

3

4

d. Monitoring of
your
performance by
your supervisor

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

1

2

3

4

e. Your
supervisor’s
knowledge of
survey concepts
f. Your
supervisor’s
knowledge of
interviewing
techniques
g. Your
supervisor’s
knowledge of
the laptop
computer

Page 4

Section 3 – GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD JOB – Continued
16. How often did you have contact, either by phone or in
person, with your SFR? For each item I read, please
tell me whether your contact with your SFR was
daily, several times a week, once a week, less than
once a week or never. (Please read each item. Circle one
response for each item.)
SEVERAL
TIMES
DAILY A WEEK

1. Prior to going
to classroom
training
2. During classroom
training

1
1

2
2

ONCE
A WEEK

3
3

19.

LESS
THAN
ONCE
A WEEK NEVER

4
4

5
5

3. Following classroom
training, but before
completing your 1st
assignment
1

2

3

4

5

4. During your first
month’s assignment

1

2

3

4

5

5. During your second
and third month’s
assignment

1

2

3

4

5

17. Overall, did you think your contact with your SFR was
too much, too little, or just right? (Mark (X) one box only.)
1
2
3

Too much
Too little
Just right

18. To what extent did the amount of contact you had with
your SFR have an impact on your decision to leave the
Bureau. Did the amount of contact you had with your
SFR have a little, a lot or no impact on your decision to
leave? (Mark (X) one box only.)
1
2
3

A little
A lot
No impact

FORM BC-1294 (9-14-2009)

Page 5

Next I’m going to read you a list of field
representative tasks. For each task I read, please tell
if the training you received to help you perform the
task was outstanding, very good, good, fair or poor.
(Circle one response for each item.)
OUTSTANDING

VERY
GOOD

GOOD

FAIR

POOR

a. Introducing and
explaining the
purpose of
the survey

1

2

3

4

5

b. Answering
respondents’
questions

1

2

3

4

5

c. Selling the survey

1

2

3

4

5

d. Getting
respondents to
cooperate

1

2

3

4

5

e. Completing a
survey for an
occupied unit

1

2

3

4

5

f. Determining when
to take a proxy

1

2

3

4

5

g. Dealing with
vacant and out of
scope units

1

2

3

4

5

h. Converting a
refusal

1

2

3

4

5

i. Probing for
accurate answers

1

2

3

4

5

j. Completing a
payroll

1

2

3

4

5

k. Using the laptop

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2

3

4

5

Section 3 – GENERAL ATTITUDE TOWARD JOB – Continued
20. [Read these instructions to the FR]: Lastly we would also like
to get your overall opinion of the job you had with the
Census Bureau, your pay, your supervisor and the
Bureau in general. I will read a statement and
afterwards I want you to tell me to what extent you
agree or disagree with the statement. There are five
possible responses: Strongly Agree, Agree, Disagree,
Strongly Disagree. If the statement does not apply to
you, you can respond by saying not applicable. Now
I’m going to read you the list of statements. For each
statement, tell me if you strongly agree, agree,
disagree, strongly disagree, or if it is not applicable.
(Please read each item. Circle one response for each item.)

21a. Are you currently working? (Mark (X) one box only.)
1
2

b. Is your current job as an interviewer?
(Mark (X) one box only.)
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2

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3

4

5

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3

4

5

c. My initial
training
adequately
prepared me
to do my job
using a
computer.

1

2

3

4

5

e. My pay was
adequate for the
type of work I
did

full-time (more than 32 hours per week)
part-time (32 or fewer hours per week)

1
2
3

Yes
No
Depends/Maybe – Explain ____________________________

Read the following to the FR . . .
As I said at the beginning of this interview, we estimated
that this interview would take about seven minutes.
Send comments regarding the burden or any other
aspect of this collection of information, including
suggestions for reducing this burden to the:
Paperwork Project 0607-0404
U.S. Census Bureau
4600 Silver Hill Rd., Room 3K138
Washington, DC 20233
You may e-mail comments to
Paperwork@census.gov; use
"Paperwork Project 0607-0404" as the subject
1

2

3

4

5

Thank you very much for your time.

NOTE TO INTERVIEWER:
1

2

3

4

5

f. My immediate
supervisor
usually let me
know when I did
a good job.

1

2

3

4

5

g. I usually felt
safe in the
areas that I
worked

1

2

3

4

5

h. I was given
adequate
opportunity to
share my
experiences
with and learn
from peers and
fellow
interviewers.

1

2

3

4

5

FORM BC-1294 (9-14-2009)

1
2

22. Would you work for the Census Bureau again?
(Mark (X) one box only.)

b. The initial
training I
received
adequately
prepared me on
the concepts
and procedures
of the survey I
worked.

d. The refresher
training I
received
adequately
reinforced the
concepts and
procedures of
the survey(s) I
worked.

Yes
No

c. Is this job a part-time or full-time job? (Mark (X) one box only.)

STRONGLY
STRONGLY
AGREE AGREE DISAGREE DISAGREE N.A.

a. My job was
adequately
described
before I
began work.

Yes – Go to 21b.
No – Go to 22.

Remember to specify on the front cover, whether this
was a complete interview.
Notes

Page 6