Need for some one to talk me down !!! Or, am I right to be upset

[run silent run deep]

Let me give some back round first. I work for a medium size company that is owned by a congomarate. I have customer that require backround investigations. I fill out forms, give personal information as required. No problem, it's part of the job. I know who is requesting the information and for what purpose.

Now for the problem. My company comes out with a form for us to fill out to obtain our driving record from Penn Dot. But, we also have emplyees from other states that have to fill out this same form. On this form it requires the standard name, address, and drivers licence number. But, also your social security number.

So far no problem. I agree we should have a good driving record as part of our qualification to maintain employment. Since I drive a company vehicle.

Next, I recieve a letter from Penn Dot. The letter states under xxxxx law they are require to inform me that my drivers record has been requested by XXXX company. This company is not my company. They farmed the job out to a third party. This is what has me outraged. No where on the form did it say they were using a third party. I would never have given my social security number to a third party, if I would have known. I don't believe you need a social security number to obtain a drivers record.

I contacted HR, they said this is the same company the parent company uses for all pre employment screening and they are a trusted company. My employment started before the parent company bought us out. So, I never signed any agreement of any kind to waive any rights to third party investigation as part of my employment.

So, my problem is it should have been clearly stated that the investigation would be handled by a third party. Thus, giving me an option of opting out. Or, partally filling out the form ( no social security number since it not required to obtain drivers information.) Or, terminating the employment contract if I saw fit.


Additional info, the company was listed as New York, New York. I obtained the company number and called it. It sounded like any call center for any company you would call these days. Non Americian bearly spoke English.

Question??? Am I over reacting !!! Should I make waves about this? Leave a sleeping dog alone. No harm now foul. Be glad you have a job in this economy???????


My only objective is, to make sure in the future each emplyee knows exactly what they are signing and who the information is being sent to.


By the way I have a perfect driving record. It's about protection of private information.

Any and all opinions appreciated.

[Twister]

Don't companies almost always use 3rd party companies for background checks and such?

i.e. I would not expect company A to contact the DMV directly.

Or is it customary for a company to actually do all the leg work themselves? Interesting.

On another note, companies that use social security numbers as some secretive "code" are the real problem... i.e. people should not be able to assume ones identity with nothing more than a name and social security number. Although I am sure it happens.

[rflynn]

Were they demanding your SS? What would have happened if you didn't give it?

The choice is yours and yours alone if you want to take if further. A job is not a thing to jeopardize these days. I most likely would talk to a Lawyer friend on mine first.

[Nic]

Legal or not, you have every right to be upset... I would be too.

[MaxPower]

Nope, no SS # required. Just full name & date of birth will get you a drivers ID & record. Ask me how I know...

[AxiTech]

I just went through the same nonsense with my job. We are supporting a major construction project on Ft. Dix/McGuire AFB and a third party company is doing our background checks, fingerprinting, and so on. I can't tell you how many strangers I have had to give my SSAN to in the past month. Pisses me off, but I need the job.

[culatar]

Most everyone uses a 3rd party for compliance purposes and to save some $$$. Some investigation firms give package deals to corps when they do x amount of bg checks per year. It's par for the course from what I've seen but ymmv.

[GunLawyer001]

Your employer will never be as careful with your info as you are. They will hire the cheapest company that will give acceptable quality results, and I doubt that anyone in management cares whether your info will reside in a computer or a laptop or a thumbdrive, and be left in a cab or lost by an airline.

How many stories have we heard of low-level flunkies losing laptops that contain millions of consumer SSN's? Worse, those are just the ones that are lost and reported; how many computers have a little dossier on you?

Data processing is being farmed out more and more often to companies where the employees are literally beyond the reach of US laws. Do you think some Indian or Pakistani or Irish office drone gives a hoot about the penalties for unlawful disclosure under American law?

It should be illegal for any American person or company to disclose your data to anyone who works beyond American jursidiction.

There was a company, I believe it was Pakistani, that contracted to process Americans' personal data. Somehow, they got into a payment dispute, and they threatened to release the info unless they were paid.

I couldn't get the Post Office to prosecute mail fraud if it happens in the next State over, how likely am I to get justice against criminals half a world away?

It's just like leaving your car and keys with a parking garage, it's no more secure than their least honest employee. Give up your SSN to your employer (who actually already has it anyway, for IRS purposes), and it's only as safe as the least trustworthy flunky working for the affiliate or contractor or sub-contractor who is given access without much thought. Your boss will trust anyone with your info, because it's not HIS info, and there are no penalties for being careless with your data. That's why identity theft is huge these days.

[run silent run deep]

The problem is not giving my ssn # it's giving it to some one I don't know I'm giving it to. Lets say my Identity is compromised. If I know who I gave it to I have half a chance to find out who it is. If I don't know who I gave my information to I have Zero chance of tracking down the perps.

And, that's the problem

[ScaredOnce]

Dude, chill... It takes 15min to get your social. It's not that big of a deal anymore.