Social Security Number Verification
Social Security number verification is a service offered through the Social Security Administration to verify the validity of any Social Security number. This service allows employers to match an employee’s name and Social Security number with records kept by the Social Security Administration. Social Security number verification is used for W-2 wage reporting purposes (Internal Revenue Service wage and tax statement) to ensure the records of current and former employees are correct. This greatly aids employers in avoiding additional processing costs for unmatched records.
Social Security number verification can also be useful in determining whether a specific Social Security number is active or inactive. If a Social Security number is inactive, it is likely because the individual to whom it was issued is now deceased.
Because of the possibility of errors when using any database, the Social Security Administration has several important guidelines governing proper and improper use of Social Security number verification.
- Searches can only be performed on current employees (current employees are defined as a person who has received and accepted a job offer) and former employees.
- A mismatch (the individual’s provided name and Social Security number do not match Social Security Administration records) does not imply that the employer or employee intentionally provided incorrect information.
- A mismatch does not make any statement about an employee’s immigration status and is not a basis, in and of itself, for taking any adverse action against an employee, such as laying off, suspending, or firing; doing so could subject employers to anti-discrimination and/or labor law sanctions.
- It is not proper to use Social Security number verification for non-wage reporting purposes, such as verifying identify, credit checks, mortgage applications, etc.
Please contact us to discuss how to best utilize Social Security number verification services.
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