this post was submitted on 14 Mar 2024
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Someone explain to me why we can't laminate it.
Security features used to verify the validity get covered when you add a plastic film.
I've been asked for the number many times, of course, but I didn't think I've ever had to show my physical card to someone in my entire life.
Every job I've had has made a copy of the card for payroll/tax purposes.
And this is where the weirdness starts. I'm in Canada and early in I learned from a relative who was in government and finances told me that your SSN is only meant for the government and government services and nothing else.
Banks, companies or corporations do not need to see your SSN no matter what they say. The number was only ever supposed to be used with the government, taxation, government benefits and services.
Banks and companies just started using it as a shortcut to identify people and connect them to government services and taxation. But it was never a requirement, no matter what they said. It's the banks and the companies job to verify who you are.
I started my bank accounts as a teen in the 90s and with a bit of help, I was able to start them without a submitting a SSN. Every job I had, I actively refused to submit a SSN and told them why which with a bit of arguing they agreed. Funny part is, even though I never submitted one, the bank and every major employer I had already had the number anyway.
Your employer pays a portion of your social security taxes and generally withholds your portion to give to the government on your behalf. How do they correctly do that without your social security number?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Form_I-9
From the link you've provided.
Documents that may be used under "List C" of the I-9 to establish employment eligibility include:
I've scanned my driver's license but never my social security card!
There are no security features on a ss card.
https://secure.ssa.gov/poms.nsf/lnx/0110201060
One or more of the following security features appear on SSN cards issued since 10/31/1983:
• Tamper-proof background
• Color-shifting ink
• Intaglio printing in some areas on the front of the card
• Latent image on the face of the card visible only when viewed at specific angles
• Red fluorescent nine-digit alphanumeric number on back (beginning February 1996)
• Intaglio microtext in signature line (when magnified, the line is actually letters spelling out SOCIAL SECURITY)
• Yellow, pink, and blue planchettes (small discs) randomly displayed on the front and back of the card
• Anti-copy pattern that is discernable when the card is photocopied
• For original cards, a dash in each column on the same line as the SSN
• Date the card is issued [i.e., Cycle Date (CYD) from the Numident] is printed under the signature line on the face of the card (beginning April 2007).
That's interesting, I had no idea they modernized it.
But none of that is on in the photo. Mine doesn't have that either. (Pre 1983)
Same. But mine still says not to laminate.
So glad I was born in ‘82 so I could avoid all this security stuff
I've had to provide the physical card at the start of most jobs I've had. What's that form you fill out? I-9?
Looking at the list of required documents, I may have used a passport at some point as that appears to trump everything, but mine has long since expired and I haven't been bothered to get a new one.
The jobs I've had have been w9 or 1099
I needed two forms of ID for my current job and I used my license and passport
The intent is for it to completely disintegrate by the time you need to claim benefits and can’t remember your SSN.
j/k, the completely disintegrating part is true, the last part is that there won’t be any SSN benefits by the time Gen Y and later gets around to retiring.
The whole design of the SS system is that current workers pay benefits for current retirees. The trust fund was created later in preparation for retiring boomers.
At worst, it goes back to the original system and benefits get reduced to match what workers are putting in. That might be as high as a worst case 20% reduction, but it's not going to go away entirely. As others have mentioned, even that is completely avoidable.
There will be benefits. Congress has at least five courses of action they can take but will just leave it till the last minute for drama and to make people vote.
This is right wing rhetoric meant to convince people that cuts to social programs are needed as a way to make social services solvent, fyi.
Social security is funded by the current tax payers, taxes were raised so that the social security could have some extra money to buy us bonds, allowing them to cash in those bonds later when boomers retire en masse. Eventually the bonds will be gone and social security will be 'insolvent' but this is ok! Social security is always being paid into and social security can be paid out with general funds, or by increased tax rates, or by increasing the cap on SS taxes.
There is not actually any indication that social security is going anywhere other than Republican fear mongering.
because i said so
-Gov'ment
I laminated mine, never had an issue.
Punish me, daddy government
I believe the primary reason is that there are counterfeiting counter measures, and if you laminated it, it would make it hard to use verification methods that allow you to make sure it’s a real one. They want to know that it is not copied, altered, or otherwise illegally fabricated.
Also, it should be noted that this is an identification card that can allow you to do crazy things like apply for official documents and loans. This number is extremely helpful for people wanting to steal your identity. I believe the idea is that if you lose it, it should degrade and disintegrate so you can get a new one without worrying that your identity will be stolen. Although, this is just my speculation.
Also, you’re not really supposed to carry it around with you, the ideas that you would put this in a safe document storage place until you need it for something specific.
presumably to be able to verify it's the correct material/has the right anti-counterfeiting stuff?
I googled it, they say it might obscure security features which would mean it wouldn't be accepted. They recommend a plastic case that can be removed.
And also how one can unlaminate it (asking for a friend)
Stick it in your microwave oven on high for about 10 minutes.
I've heard that it was in the event you lost it, it would eventually disintegrate from the weather. It always to help prevent it from being used by others if found.
You can. This is a myth.
Try using a laminated ss card to get a drivers license. (Real ID).
I obviously did and there was zero issues.
Interesting in Minnesota they would not accept it
The only thing anyone's ever done with it is photocopy it. Lamination doesn't affect that at all.
There's no "security measures" on mine. Maybe there is on more recent ones though.
I was born in the seventies. So not much in the way of security there. Maybe the newer ones have something for security and it's just a blanket policy.
They probably just say to not do it so people don't mess with the card at all. Blanket policy is the perfect way to put it.