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Use of SSNs
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Use of SSNs
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will soon have a temp person placed with our company. after 90 days we will have the option to hire the person and transfer that person to our payroll. only question I have is that our company HR dept
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Forums » Topic Forums » Legal Forum » Use of SSNs
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 3:40 AM EST
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Posts: 8
First: 3/28/2006 Last: 2/28/2011 |
will soon have a temp person placed with our company. after 90 days we will have the option to hire the person and transfer that person to our payroll. only question I have is that our company HR dept has requested this individual's SSN and birthdate in order for our IT dept to give her access to our system (computer, phones, etc.)
I know that SSNs are not to be requested until the point aperson is actually offered employment. This is obviously a gray area for me |
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 3:50 AM EST
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Posts: 45
First: 1/13/2011 Last: 4/14/2011 |
If they are on your payroll they are an employee. If they are not on your payroll you can still use the SSN for the purposes you outline, unless, unknown to me you have a state or local law prohibiting that.
Then, I'd either find an alternative to the SSN or err on the side of common sense. |
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 4:49 AM EST
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Posts: 2146
First: 2/15/2006 Last: 9/14/2011 |
I agree with HRPro that I know of no law that prohibits using the SSN as an identifier, but it is probably not the most prudent unless you NEED it. Which would either be for the I-9 OR payroll purposes...and those you do not need because she is NOT an employee.
I would suggest setting up a system for IDs for temp employees that does not involve their SSN. However, if IT programmed the system to check to make sure it was a valid SSN (not 000 or 999), then they might have issues. Does IT do anything with the SSN (Like E-verify)? I can also see where it could be an issue at the point where she changes from temp- /> employee. They need to come up with a procedure on how to change it if needed and how she will access her prior documents. At the point that she becomes an employee, will her identifier be automatically used on the rest of the system (for payroll, etc). That is does the identifier HAVE to match the SSN later? If not, no problems. If so, then a procedure should be put into place during those 90 days. |
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 4:52 AM EST
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
Regardless of the "right" of the employer to hold this information, I can see no justification for it being shared with any department outside of HR. IT should never have access to employees DOB or SSN.
IT is an internal support group and once the company decides to provide services to the employee it should just be carried out. No need for personal information, HR just tells them through your help desk or other methods to set the person up. In global companies there are no SSNs and no need for age information and they are set up all the time...... What they need is a unique identifier (EE ID number) and a log in standard like tdoe. |
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 5:10 AM EST
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Posts: 2442
First: 2/12/2000 Last: 9/14/2011 |
IMHO this is a bad practice and one that will fail ulitmately. How many different people now have access to your SSN? Too many and you are liable for any missuse...... Not best practice
Also if you have any employees based outside the US they will not have an SSN and what will you do for them. I suggest that you issue employees an ID number. If you have an HRIS system, normally it can/will/does provide each participant a unique ID number. |
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Use of SSNs
posted at 2/28/2011 8:48 AM EST
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Posts: 45
First: 1/13/2011 Last: 4/14/2011 |
I concur with all of those who say using SSN's as you do is a bad practice. The hypersensitivity surrounding their use makes change inevitable, and change will happen.
I did find a federal pamphlet regarding various state and federal laws surrounding the use of SSN's. After reading through it my advice to you is change your policy yesterday. here is a link http://www.gao.gov/new.items/d051016t.pdf |
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