The 2020 Census Field Infrastructure operation (FLDI) provided the administrative infrastructure for data collection operations covering the 50 states, the District of Columbia, and Puerto Rico. Administrative infrastructure included but was not limited to recruiting; training; hiring and onboarding; personnel and payroll administration; management and supervision; clerical support; investigative support/background checks; and staff modeling and analysis. 

This operational assessment report documents FLDI’s Field Office Administration and Payroll process for the 2020 Census. FLDI has created a companion operational assessment report for recruiting, onboarding, and training. 

For the 2020 Census field data collection operations, the Census Bureau managed employee work attendance and payroll using smartphones, tablets, and laptops. The employees’ work progress and payroll data were sent electronically to area census offices. When electronic means were not available, paper payroll forms (D-308s) were used.  

Area census office (ACO) personnel supported and managed data collection operations completed by the enumerators and handled the daily administration, such as hiring, auditing work, and entering employee hours and operations worked (payroll). Each ACO employed ACO managers, lead census field managers (LCFMs), census field manager (CFMs), census field supervisors (CFSs), administrative managers, recruiting managers, IT managers, office operations supervisors (OOSs), enumerators, RAs, and clerks. CFSs and enumerators worked from home. 

Each regional census center (RCC) employed area managers, area managers for quality assurance (these positions reported directly to the regional director), IT specialists, administrative specialists, partnership specialists, partnership assistants, recruiters, census operations specialists, lead clerks, and clerks. RCC and ACO employees were paid using either the National Finance Center (NFC) or the Decennial Applicant, Personnel, and Payroll System (DAPPS) payroll systems.  

Overall, the field office administration and payroll programs were implemented on time, employees were paid accurately, and regulatory requirements were met. Most staff reported receiving adequate training for their day-to-day tasks.  

Some recommendations for 2030 Census field office administration and payroll programs are as follows: create an all-inclusive recruiting, selecting, fingerprinting, hiring, and payroll/personnel system; enhance time and attendance entry; automate and streamline administrative functions that were not automated for the 2020 Census (such as hiring and separation forms that require wet signatures), and develop an automated mechanism to prevent an employee who was terminated for quality or conduct reasons in one operation from being rehired for another operation.