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SALT LAKE CITY (AP) -- The Social Security numbers for 600 children under the age of 12 in Utah are being used improperly, the state Department of Workforce Services said.
In a comparison of public assistance roles against wage files two years ago, the agency noticed that thousands of Social Security numbers were being used by people other than those to whom the number was assigned.
"We found that there were quite a few names where people's names didn't match the Social Security numbers that were being reported," said Tani Downing, executive director of the Department of Workforce Services.
State employees have found it difficult to notify families or law enforcement about the problem because of state and federal privacy laws, Downing and Attorney General Mark Shurtleff told legislators on Wednesday.
It is a misdemeanor crime, punishable by up to one year in prison and a $2,500 fine, in Utah for Workforce Services employees to reveal specific information about Social Security numbers.
The law has had a chilling effect because workers are afraid of getting in trouble for revealing too much information, although it's not illegal for employees to tell Utah residents that their Social Security number or their children's numbers, already may be in use, Downing said.
"Our hands are tied and we don't know what to do," she said.
The problem is often found when someone comes to Workforce Services to apply for public assistance, such as food stamps or Temporary Aid to Needy Families. A Social Security number check will show the person is either already receiving services or earning a wage somewhere in the state.
In cases where the discrepancy is a mistake -- a transposed number, for instance -- state welfare officials need the authority to force employers to correct the error, Shurtleff said.
"We think the employers can clean up a lot of this, but there's nothing that makes them have to do that," Downing said.
In more serious cases, Shurtleff said, Workforce Service employees should be able to alert citizens so they can protect themselves.
"As a law enforcement official, I'd like to know who's victimizing Utah citizens and be able to bring actions against them," he said.
Members of the Workforce Services and Community and Economic Development Interim Committee on Wednesday were interested in helping. Sen. Carlene Walker, R-Cottonwood Heights, who plans to address various issues with Social Security numbers in the 2007 legislative session, said she would return to the committee with proposed legislation to take care of the problem.
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Information from: Deseret Morning News, http://www.deseretnews.com
(Copyright 2006 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.)
