I am very uncomfortable giving my Social Security to employers, etc..any advice?

Question

I am very uncomfortable giving my Social Security to employers, etc..any advice? Can they sell your information if obtained and things get sour? What's the worst they can do with a social security number if they might have not liked you/needed you?

Answer 1

Unfortunetly, employers are the one people that really need your SSN. They need it for taxes, payroll etc.
I wouldn't worry so much about employers selling your information - they'd get shut down if the govt. found out so I doubt most businessed would take the chance.

Answer 2

You have to give your social security number so that the government can withhold your Social Security first and foremost. That was the original purpose of a social security number. Nowadays, it has become an all-purpose government identifier, and good or bad, that's the way it is. The IRS uses it as your Taxpayer ID number as well and there is no way to get around it. Just make sure that you shred all info with your SS# on it and don't give it out unless necessary. If an employer gives out your social security # to get back at you, that would be a serious crime. I don't think you need to worry about this too much. Just be careful and use common sense.

Answer 3

It's understandable that you are concerned about people getting a hold of your ss#. Heck, I shred anything with my name or address. A good way to protect yourself and your future benefits is to make sure the person in charge gets the information, this would be the manager or owner. I would stay away from letting the assistant manager or any other employee handle your information. If the company you work for is a major corporation, ask the manager if you could send the information yourself to corporate. Most places that ask for your ss number also need your ID and permanent address, and your birthday. I would do what I could to protect the rest of that information.

Answer 4

Not only is mandatory for you to provide it to your employer, your employer is bound by federal and state laws to get that information before they hire you. If you work for a bank, securities firm or law firm, the law gets even tougher. Security and criminal background checks become necessary.

Make sure you're seeking employment with a reputable company. They are also bound by laws to protect your information. Good company has policies and systematic structures in place to do that. Others dont.

Answer 5

The reason they need your social security number is so that you will be properly credited for what you pay in to the system (i.e. the social security taxes that are garnished from each of our wages). This is, in fact, the fundamental reason that social security numbers were created and about the only legitimate use for them.

Answer 6

Your employer is legally required to have your social security number, so they can deposit money withheld from your paycheck and have you get credit for it. At the end of the year they have to report your total earnings and withholdings to the IRS - this is done by social security number.

Answer 7

Technically, any employee that got access to your social security number could potentially do anything with it that a crimincal. I don't believe they can sell your SS# and I'm sure if they did that would be some sort of privacy violation.

Answer 8

After you've been hired, the employer is required to have your social security number on file.

But if you're applying for a job and haven't been hired yet, they probably shouldn't ask you for your social security number. But, if they asked me before I was hired, I wouldn't give them my social security number.

If they sold your information after termination or after declining to hire you, I bet you'd have grounds for a civil lawsuit.

Answer 9

I usally only give it out when asked at an interview when they're doing paperwork for hiring me. I don't want tat information floating around, and I think a lot of employers understand

Answer 10

You dont have options... you got to give the SSN # or you will miss lot of openings with financial and insurance client... but chk with ur employer before doing it !