When Employers Can and Cannot Require Employees to Show Their Social Security Card
An employee may present an employer his or her Social Security card to complete payroll or I-9 paperwork. When completing the employee’s Form W-2, the employer should request that the employee present the card to record or verify the information but are not advised to “require” them to do so, according to the IRS. If the employee does present the card, the employer should record his or her name and SSN. If the employee does not wish to give up the card, the employer may verify the information on the Social Security Administration website.
While the employer can make the request for payroll reasons, they cannot request or require the employee use his or her Social Security card as authorization for I-9 documentation. However, should the employee elect to use their card as one of the acceptable forms of documentation from List C documents, the employee must then present the employer the card for verification. Read more.