Using Social Security Numbers for Routine Identification Is Serious Invasion of Privacy

The Times’ Dec. 20 article on employer-employee privacy issues, “Firms Walk Tightrope on Privacy Issues,” was very well written. However, discussion of a major privacy issue was omitted: the use of Social Security numbers as employee identification numbers.

Social Security numbers are supposed to be used only for reporting income to the appropriate tax authorities. However, many companies use these numbers as identification numbers for fringe benefits, expense reports, etc. Your doctor really does not have the right to your Social Security number, but many employers’ health insurance plans put that number on every reimbursement check. To meet the reporting needs of my employer, the outside travel agency I am directed to use for business trips asks for my Social Security number.

This use of Social Security numbers is bad because other organizations--my credit union and the TRW credit reporting company, for instance--use Social Security numbers as account or identification numbers.

Why should my group medical insurance or travel agency have my credit union savings account number? Why should so many persons where I work have the number for the TRW file that contains my credit history?

This excessive use of Social Security numbers represents a privacy problem far more widespread than anything described in the article. It occurs mainly--but not entirely--through employment and personnel practices. And it involves many individuals who do not even recognize how their privacy is at risk.

DAVID E. ROSS

Agoura