Legal Question in Employment Law in California
Social Security Number Requested for Employment by Recruiter
Is it legal for a recruiter to request (and use) a job candidate's Social Security number in order to submit the candidate's resume for the position?
Recently, a recruiter contacting me about a position whose job requirements matched my skill set. After submitting my resume to the recruiter, he called back requesting my social social security number, claiming the employer's online job application procedure required it in order to submit me. Is this legal?
1 Answer from Attorneys
Re: Social Security Number Requested for Employment by Recruiter
It is quite common for employers to request social security numbers, both to verify legal status and for tax withholding purposes, which employers must legally do. They are, of course required to keep this information confidential.