Social Security Number on job application.

[Floridian2000]

Is it legal for potential employers in FL to ask for candidates' SS# before offering a job? Tnx.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Yes. There is no federal or Florida law that prohibits an employer from asking for that information from an applicant.

 

[Floridian2000]

Yes. There is no federal or Florida law that prohibits an employer from asking for that information from an applicant.

Thank you Sir/Madam.

 

[adjusterjack]

It's the de facto national ID.

 

[Floridian2000]

It's the de facto national ID.

For ID purposes DL/US Passport should do just fine before tax agent/payer (employment) relationship is established. But... if it is not illegal they can do what they want. Obviously, I can say that I don't want to be employed by such unscrupulous company and leave the interview. That is, if I can afford it...

Anyhow, thanks again for clarification.

 

[Taxing Matters]

Obviously, I can say that I don't want to be employed by such unscrupulous company and leave the interview.

Why do you see it as "unscrupulous"? It's actually pretty common for employers to ask for that on applications. If you won't accept providing that on applications (obviously you want to be sure it's a legitimate company/firm at least) you may be limiting your opportunities.

 

[Floridian2000]

You'd be surprised: at recent interview HR manager agreed with me that at THAT moment she did not need my SS#. That happened, though, only when I got up and was ready to leave. She asked me to stay and agreed that the number is needed only for taxation purposes - employer is a tax agent for the employee. When the interview came to unsuccessful end, - they couldn't pay what I wanted, - we parted company on that there was no reason for my SS# to sit in their, on any other potential employer, BD forever. That, BTW, goes for all other personal info: DL#, DOB, etc.

That is THE SCRUPULOUS company or, personally, that HR manager. Others just use their dominant position to poke their noses where they should not. Anyway they are not gonna do a background check on ALL applicants. Job offer is conditional on all bells and whistles they want. Before that they should be interested only in my personal/professional suitability for the job. Going beyond that is UNSCRUPULOUS, IMHO.

 

[commentator]

Glad this wasn't a job you really wanted.

 

[Floridian2000]

Tnx.

 

[adjusterjack]

Your social security number is also used to identify you for a background and/or credit check. I suppose you can decline to give it unless you are offered the job subject to the background/credit check. It's likely though that many employers won't go along with that because (1) they have plenty of candidates who will provide it, and (2) the application process is also a screening process and disobedience at the getgo will get you eliminated from consideration.

Your recalcitrance (while laudable) will limit your opportunities. If you are OK with that, more power to you.

 

[Floridian2000]

With current unemployment rate (under 3% in FL) it is an EMPLOYEE'S market. Employers scramble to find at least somewhat qualified help for any position, from shop assistant to NASA physicist. Thank you, President Trump!

 

[cbg]

That doesn't mean that employers have stopped doing background checks.

 

[Taxing Matters]

With current unemployment rate (under 3% in FL) it is an EMPLOYEE'S market. Employers scramble to find at least somewhat qualified help for any position, from shop assistant to NASA physicist. Thank you, President Trump!

Not as much an employee's market as you'd think. The unemployment figures are an imperfect measure of the real job situation because they don't tell you how many people are underemployed or have gotten so discouraged that they stop looking for work. If it were truly an employee's market, employers would need to start raising wages to compete against other employers for the scarce labor pool. The fact that wage growth has been pretty much flat tells you that the job market is not as a strong for employees as a 3% unemployment rate would suggest.

 

[Floridian2000]

That doesn't mean that employers have stopped doing background checks.

More power to them! After conditional job offer - subject to even checking my mother-in-law' urine test...

 

[Floridian2000]

Not as much an employee's market as you'd think. The unemployment figures are an imperfect measure of the real job situation because they don't tell you how many people are underemployed or have gotten so discouraged that they stop looking for work. If it were truly an employee's market, employers would need to start raising wages to compete against other employers for the scarce labor pool. The fact that wage growth has been pretty much flat tells you that the job market is not as a strong for employees as a 3% unemployment rate would suggest.

I won't argue here about details of macroeconomics and unemployment rate calculation methods. "Now hiring" signs on every business' window and swelling classified ads suggest that those numbers are rather realistic.