Businesses possess a great deal of personal information about job applicants, employees, and former employees (e.g., retirees). In addition, employees and independent contractors of businesses often have access to personal information. One of the most common types of personal information is a Social Security number.
In addition to the 45 state data breach notification laws (Minnesota has one) that cover names plus Social Security numbers and address the notification a company must make in the event of a data breach, there are at least 30 lesser-known state laws (Minnesota has one) that cover Social Security numbers. Five of these state laws — Connecticut, Michigan, NewMexico, New York and Texas — require businesses to have a written Social Security number policy.
This article provides a brief overview of the varying policy requirements and enforcement of these laws.
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