Obama to inherit dispute over SSN ‘no match’ letters

How should employers respond to a government “no-match letter” that identifies discrepancies between an employee’s name and the Social Security number (SSN) he or she provided for I-9 purposes?

The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) tried to clarify that issue last year with new regulations that explained employers could terminate employees if their SSN information can’t be verified within 90 days.

The rules were supposed to take effect in September, but a lawsuit held them up. The complaint: Legitimate workers would get tripped up in this bid to root out illegal immigrants.

DHS tried to fast-track the injunction hearing so it would be resolved before President Bush left office. But a judge last month refused, meaning the issue probably won’t be resolved until at least March.