The Social Security Administration (SSA) has begun mailing informational notifications to businesses and third parties, who submitted wage and tax statements (Form W-2) that contain name and Social Security number (SSN) combinations that do not match their records. These notices have been sent out in the past and are commonly referred to as “No Match Letters.” The practice was suspended in 2012.
These Employer Correction Request Notices (EDCOR) notify the employer how many employee names and SSN’s do not match SSA’s records, ask employers to use the Employer Report Status within Business Services Online (BSO) to view the names, and to provide SSA with the necessary correction on Form W2-C within 60 days of receipt of the letter.
The letter also states:
“This letter does not address your employee’s work authorization or immigration status.
You should not use this letter to take any adverse action against an employee, such as laying off, suspending, firing, or discriminating against that individual, just because his or her SSN or name does not match our records. Any of those actions could, in fact, violate State or Federal law and subject you to legal consequences. “
There are a number of reasons why reported names and SSNs may not agree with SSA records, such as typographical errors, unreported name changes, inaccurate or incomplete employer records.
It is important to note these letters are not part of the Department of Homeland Security and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) E-Verify program. E-Verify is a web-based system that allows enrolled employers to confirm the eligibility of their employees to work in the United States. E-Verify employers verify the identity and employment eligibility of newly hired employees by electronically matching information provided by employees on the Form I-9, Employment Eligibility Verification, against records available to the Social Security Administration (SSA) and the Department of Homeland Security (DHS).Utilizing E-Verify when an employee is first hired greatly reduces the risk of inadvertently hiring an unauthorized worker.
For more information contact us.
