Do You Need to Provide Your SS Number When You Apply for Work?

With identity theft rampant, I'm hesitant to give my Social Security number every time someone asks me for it. If you live in the U.S. you will find someone asking you for this information quite often — at the doctor's office for example or if you want to borrow money for a large purchase, open a bank account or apply for a job. I often wonder why everyone needs my number and what will happen if I fail to provide it.

GovGab, a blog from the U.S. Government, answered these questions in a recent post. It includes a link to an article on the Social Security Administration web site that lists the instances in which you must legally provide your number. Since my special area of interest is careers and employment, I immediately scanned the list for any information pertaining to that. As you probably already know, employers need your number so they can report your earnings to the Internal Revenue Service. Why then, you might ask, does an employer need your Social Security number before they hire you? They need it in order to verify your eligibility to work in the U.S. Read the full post for more information.