Contact Tracer Jobs in United States - Contact Tracing Jobs in US
OVERVIEW
As communities across the world open amidst the global Covid-19 pandemic, contact tracing in United States aims at contacting individuals to curb the spreading of the coronavirus. According to a survey conducted by the
NPR, about 11,000 individuals have already been hired for this job untill April 2020 (1).
It is estimated that United States will need about 100,000 to 300,000 contact tracers. Read on to know more about the job description, salary, eligibility, and procedure of application for a contact tracer job near you.
JOB DESCRIPTION
Contact-tracing in United States is still being done the old-school way to build strong communities to handle the impending effects of the pandemic. As a contact-tracer employed with various health organizations in association with the state and the local governments in United States, the employee is expected to reach out to people who have come in close contact with someone diagnosed with Covid-19 through calls.
The employee will be provided with a script that contains actions listed based on the needs of the person they've called and they're expected to stick to the script in their replies.
If the person is asymptomatic, they must be told to isolate and quarantine for a minimum period. If they develop symptoms, the employee should refer them for an appointment and provide them with state helpline numbers. If they need any other services while in quarantine or undergoing treatment, the employee is expected to connect them with appropriate individuals who can help them.
The work will be phone-based to be done from home. The employee is expected to use their personal telephone, computer, and other required equipment for the same.
The work can be full-time or part-time based on the hiring organization.
The employee is required to maintain empathy, professionalism, and complete confidentiality towards the contacts.
They are also expected to report regularly to their supervisors, adhere to the organization and the states' rules and regulations and protocols, and keep themselves updated about the recent developments in Covid-19.
ELIGIBILITY & REQUIREMENTS
Candidates need to at least have a bachelor's degree, if not a college diploma and some background in health care services. Retired health care workers, former hospitality employees, and furloughed public employees are preferred. Minimum years of experience varies required in these areas vary for each recruiting organization and state.
Computer proficiency and data entry skills are an added advantage.
Diversity in cultural background and a secondary language other than English is preferred.
Empathy, positive attitude, interpersonal skills, professionalism, and honoring confidentiality with respect to client identity and personal data is a must.
SALARY
Contact tracers in the United States are paid anywhere between $17 to $25 per hour. This depends on whether you're hired full-time or part-time and the training and recruitment efforts put forth by the organization hiring you.
Some organizations also offer benefits such as health insurance to contact tracers.
APPLICATION PROCEDURE
How to apply? A simple Google Search "Contact Tracing Jobs in the USA" will reveal tens of such links.
Some of these advertisements can also be found on LinkedIn and other job listing websites.
Most of these links leads to an independent recruiter's website where you can register yourself. The recruiter will review your application and get back to you through an e-mail or a call.