Census Bureau Tells Workers to Quit Napping

Workers who have been catching some Zs in the common areas of the U.S. Census Bureau’s headquarters in Maryland have been told to knock it off because it is sending the wrong message to taxpayers who may wander in, The Washington Post blog the Federal Eye reported.

“While at work, our behavior sends a powerful message to our customers, our colleagues and the taxpayers about who we are and what we value,” Ted Johnson, the bureau’s acting human resources director, said in a memo the Post quoted.

“Sleeping on the premises is not acceptable behavior. It is manifestly unprofessional and creates an impression of carelessness, which unfairly impugns the hard work of the entire Census community. Moreover, such behavior can lead to safety problems in the event of an emergency.”

A Census spokesman told the Post that workers had been found in recent weeks napping in the lobby, library, and cafeteria of the agency’s headquarters. Co-workers blew the whistle on the miscreants, complaining to union representatives and agency officials about the situation, according to the Post.