Verify Worker Social Security Numbers with the Social Security Administration

Submitted by admin on Tue, 05/04/2021 - 15:37
Policy: 

Verifying Worker Social Security Numbers (SSN) with the Social Security Administration (SSA) and resolving any errors prior to filing Forms W-2 with the Social Security Administration is a key to accurate and timely annual wage report submission. Submitting Forms W-2 to the SSA with accurate SSNs helps to ensure that workers earnings records are properly credited with wage information. This is important information for determining their Social Security benefits in the future.

Verifying Worker SSNs with the SSA and resolving any errors prior to filing Forms W-2 reduces the number of forms W-2c necessary, thereby increasing accuracy of Forms W-2 for employees, reducing confusion and minimizing cost. Verifying SSNs with the SSA reduces the number of Forms W-2C produced by the F/EA. The SSA submits “no match” letters to employers and agents if at least 10 of every 2000 Forms W-2 are submitted with SSNs that do not match workers names. Agents or employers must use reasonable means to correct SSN errors as listed in the “no match” letter. Agents may be fined if too large a percentage of forms W-2 have unresolved SSN errors.
 
Verification of workers SSNs prior to W-2 submission also allows F/EA to verify that the F/EA has correct Social Security Numbers for Workers in their payroll system. This process itself is an internal control used to verify the data integrity of Worker Social Security Numbers recorded in F/EA systems. 
 
Prior to providing services in the F/EA program, each workers completes a Worker Hire Package. F/EA obtains workers self-reported SSNs on forms W-4, USCIS I-9 and <<State Form W-4>>. While the workers certifies with his or her signature that the SSN reported on the aforementioned forms are correct, F/EA verifies the SSN with the Social Security Administration’s Business Services Online (BSO) Social Security Number Verification Service to ensure accurate W-2 reporting and to avoid “no-match” letters.
 
F/EA verifies Worker SSNs with the Social Security Number Verification Service by September of each calendar year. F/EA Customer Service follows up with any workers with SSN errors and corrects them in applicable payroll systems prior to issuing Forms W-2 to workers before January 31.
Procedure: 

 

  1. <<Staff Title>> or assigned staff obtains electronic list of all active workers names, Social Security Numbers and birth dates from payroll system  <<Insert process onhow to do this>>
  2. <<Staff Title>> logs onto the SSA’s Business Services Online
  3. Follow instructions to upload SSN Verification File
  4. Go to https://s044a90.ssa.gov/acu/BSOIRESEAI/login
  5. Select ‘I Accept’
  6. Enter user PIN and Password. 
  7. User develops a Password per BSO password requirements, including any required characters
  8. BSO provides a PIN
  9. Per BSO, password must be updated at least once annually
  10. F/EA updates password quarterly for added protection
  11. Select ‘Submit an Electronic File for SSN Verification’
  12. Select ‘I Accept’
  13. Select ‘Continue’
  14. Enter the F/EA Agent EIN in ‘Employer’s EIN’ box
  15. Enter Select ‘Browse’ and browse for the SSN Verification text file
  16. Select ‘Submit’
  17. Print Confirmation Sheet
  18. Initial and date confirmation sheet
  19. Provide Confirmation Sheet to <<Staff Title>> for review
  •  <<Staff Title>> reviews, initials and dates \
  • Confirmation sheet and copy of submitted file are stored in “Social Security Number Verification” binder in Payroll Department

20.  Log in to SSNVS the next business day to check to see if a return file has been produced

21.  If a return file has been produced, download the file

23.  Open the file in Excel

24.  Sort the spreadsheet by the 9 column

  • This is the error column
  • Any records with an error code of 1, 5 or 6 must be followed up on
  • Error 1 means that the SSN provided for the workers was not ever issued by the SSA, so it cannot be a valid SSN
  • Error 5 means that the name submitted for the SSN does not match the name on record for the SSN
  • Error 6 means that the SSN did not verify for another reason. This is usually if the SSN has nonnumeric characters or is not 9 digits in length

25.  For any SSNs with error codes 1, 5 or 6, the F/EA must verify that the SSN provided in the Worker Hire Package was the SSN submitted to the SSA for verification

  • A typo at any point in the process could cause an error in the Social Security Number Verification System
  • Comparing the SSN with an error in the return file to the SSN in the Worker Hire Package resolves the majority of errors

26.  Print the Excel sheet showing errors

  • <<Staff Title>> initials and dates Excel sheet print out, to show that errors were collected and the date errors were collected
  • <<Staff Title>> initials and dates Excel sheet print out
  •  Excel sheet print out is stored in “Social Security Number Verification” binder in Payroll Department

27.  Locate the Worker’s Hire Package saved in the participant’s scan file on the X drive

28.  Review each form in the Worker Hire Package

29.  Compare the SSN listed on each form to the SSN listed for the provider in the return file

  • Is the SSN the same?
  • If the SSN in the Worker Hire Package is different than the SSN return file, it is likely that the SSN in the Worker Hire Package is correct.

30.  Go to https://s044a90.ssa.gov/acu/BSOIRESEAI/login

31.  Select ‘I Accept’

32.  Enter user PIN and Password. User develops a Password, BSO provides a PIN

33.  Password must be updated at least once annually

34 . Select ‘Submit an Electronic File for SSN Verification’

35.  Select ‘I Accept’

36.  Select ‘Continue’

37.  Select “Verify up to 10 SSNs Online”

38.  Enter the Worker’s name and the SSN found on the Worker Hire Package

39.  Select “Submit”

40.  The next screen will report whether the name and SSN match the SSA’s records

41.  If they do, update the Worker’s SSN with the correct SSN in all systems

42.  If the name and SSN found on the Worker Package do not match the SSA’s records, or if the SSN on the Worker Package is the same as the SSN submitted to the SSA originally, F/EA customer service must contact the workers’s participant to attempt to resolve the SSN error

43.  <<Staff Title>> (or assigned staff member) places an outbound call to the participant and notifies them of a problem verifying their workers’s Social Security Number

44.  This call is documented in the Customer Service module in F/EA System

45. Rather than verify the SSN with an outbound call to the Consumer, the <<Staff Title>> identifies him or herself as a representative of the F/EA, leaves his or her name and number for the participant to call back.

  • This process is used so that the participant can verify that the phone number provided is indeed F/EA’s and is not a fraudulent caller

46.  A <<Staff Title>> verifies the previously provided SSN and Date of Birth (DOB) with the participant when he or she returns the call 

47.  If the SSN or DOB on file with F/EA does not match that provided during the call by the provider, record the corrected SSN in all applicable systems

48.  Follow steps to verify the SSN with the Social Security Administration

49.  If the SSN or DOB on file matches that provided by the workers, the <<Staff Title>> encourages the participant or workers to contact the Social Security Administration’s local branch to correct or verify their SSN or Date of Birth

50.  The <<Staff Title>> provides the workers with a local number to reach the Social Security Administration

51.  Contact information for the Social Security Field Office near the workers or Consumer can be located by entering the workers or participant’s zip code at this website: https://secure.ssa.gov/apps6z/FOLO/fo001.jsp

52.  All contact with the participant is recorded in the Customer Service Module

 
Internal Controls: 

This process itself is an internal control used to verify the data integrity of Worker Social Security Numbers recorded in F/EA systems. By using this method to verify Social Security Numbers of workers, F/EA improves the accuracy of data on Forms W-2 provided to workers, State Department of Revenue or equivalent, the Social Security Administration and the IRS. Performing this process at least annually improves F/EA data integrity.

F/EA uses the following internal controls to monitor this process:
  1. <<Staff Title>> prints, reviews, initials and dates a confirmation sheet showing that a Social Security Number Verification file was submitted to the Social Security Administration.
  2. <<Staff Title>> reviews, initials and dates a confirmation sheet showing that a Social Security Number Verification file was submitted to the Social Security Administration.
  3. <<Staff Title>> prints, reviews, initials and dates a print out of Social Security Numbers with errors.
  4. <<Staff Title>> reviews, initials and dates of Social Security Numbers with errors.
    • Print out of Social Security Numbers with errors is stored in Payroll Department for a minimum of 7 years, per File Retention Policy
  5. Documentation of follow-up with consumers on Worker Social Security Numbers deemed incorrect is stored in the Customer Service tab of Payroll System.