Census facility in Phoenix stays open with about 900 employees working

PHOENIX — The U.S. Census Bureau’s National Processing Center in Phoenix remains open with hundreds of employees working despite recommendations by health officials to avoid large crowds.

About 900 employees work at the center near 43rd Avenue and Buckeye Road.

“They’re still functioning, though we’re evaluating actively on how we continue in that facility,” associate director of the U.S. Census Bureau’s field operations Tim Olson told KTAR News 92.3 FM on Friday.

“They are practicing social distancing to the extent possible, but we are actively monitoring what is happening in Phoenix.”

The National Processing Center in Phoenix is one of two nationwide. The other one is in Indiana.

Last week, the U.S. Census Bureau announced that until April 1, the facility would transition to the minimum number of on-site staff needed to continue operations there and at its Paper Data Capture Center East, which is also in Indiana.

No such announcement has been made for the National Processing Center in Phoenix.

This comes after Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey called on businesses last week to close and for gatherings to be limited to no more than 10 people as a way to limit the spread of COVID-19.

The governor’s office did not respond to a request for comment on Friday.

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