ssa-no-matchThe Social Security Administration (SSA) recently announced it has once again started sending “No-Match” Letters to employers.  The purpose of the SSA No-Match Letter is to advise an employer that the name and/or social security number reported by the employer does not match what the SSA has on record.

The Office of Special Counsel has published a list of No-Match Do’s and Don’ts for Employers.

Does Receipt of a No-March Letter Mean the Employee is Ineligible to Work?

Not necessarily.  Some instances that could trigger a no-match include:

  • A typo by the HR staff inputting the information
  • Input errors by SSA staff
  • An unreported name change due to marriage, divorce or legal name change
  • Identity theft
  • Missing middle initials or incorrect hyphenated/multiple surnames

How Should an Employer Respond to a SSA No-Match?

Interestingly enough, the SSA does not offer specific guidance as to a proper response. The employer is not given a definitive time-frame to allow the employee to resolve/correct the issue.  Nor does it specify what to do if the discrepancy cannot be resolved.  It does however warn employers against terminating an employee or taking other adverse action based on the No-Match Letter.

Our recommendation is for an employer to consult with legal counsel to determine the proper strategy to handle no-match issues.  For additional resources, visit our website at AllottImmigrationLaw.com

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