This March, employers around the country began receiving letters, the likes of which they have not seen in 7 years. These letters are not so affectionately known as “Social Security No Match Letters,” but are officially referred to as “Employer Correction Request Notices (EDCOR)” by the Social Security Administration. A sample can be found here.

In a significant departure from past practice, the letters do not include the names or social security numbers of employees with a mismatched SSN. To obtain this information, employers must register with the SSA’s Business Services Online (BSO).

Employers should be proactive if they receive a no match letter and promptly contact a trusted legal or HR advisor about the appropriate next steps. Those next steps should include:

  • Registering with the SSA’s BSO;
  • Checking the employer’s records for a clerical mistake;
  • Notifying the employee of the mismatch (a sample letter can be found here) and working with the employee to resolve the mismatch

Employees should be given a reasonable amount of time to resolve the mismatch. There is no law or regulation that defines what constitutes a “reasonable” amount of time. However, the U.S. Department of Justice has acknowledged that resolving a mismatched SSN may take some time.

Employers should also be cautious about jumping to conclusions and taking any adverse action against an employee subject to a no match letter. Keep in mind that the mismatch may not always be an indicator that the employee has provided fraudulent social security information. The mismatch may be innocuous, and the result of a data entry error, a change of name due to marriage or divorce, or even the employee’s identity being stolen. Employers may be subject to liability based on employment discrimination for adverse action taken against an employee if that is action is solely based on a no match letter. Employers should wait for the final results of its investigation into the mismatch and hope for the best resolution: correction of the error. If there is a legitimate mismatch, then the employer should consult with HR and employment law advisors to develop a plan of action.

The attorneys and HR professionals at Lake Effect HR & Law are ready and willing to assist and advise if you receive a no match letter, or have questions related to compliance with Social Security Administration laws and regulations. Contact us at www.LE-hrlaw.com or 1-844-333-5253.